Section^l&S 

H., vu. 


REPORTS 

OF   THE 

United  German  Evangelical 

LUTHERAN  CONGREGATIONS 

IN 

TTOETH  AMERICA, 
ESPECIALLY  IN  PENNSYLVANIA, 

WITH  A   PREFACE  BY 

D.  JOHN  LUDWIG  SCHULZE, 

ordinary  professor  of  theology  and  philosophy  in  the  royal 

Prussian  Frederick's  university,  as  also  director  of  the 

orphan  house  and  royal  p.edagogium. 


PUBLISHED  IN  THE  ORPHAN  HOUSE,  HALLE,  A.  D.  1750. 


TRANSLATED  FROM  THE  GERMAN  BY 

Rev.    JONATHAN   OSWALD,    D.    D. 


JSTo.    1. 


PHILADELPHIA  : 

LUTHERAN  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY, 

1880. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1879,  by  the 

LUTHERAN    BOARD    OF    PUBLICATION, 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


inquirer  p.  &  P.  CO., 

STEREOTYPERS  AND  PRINTERS 
LANCASTER,  PA. 


TRANSLATOR'S  PREFACE. 


To  the  English-speaking  Lutherans  in  the 
United  States,  I  offer  this  translation  of  the 
Reports  of  the  first  Evangelical  Lutheran  Mis- 
sionaries to  America,  and  especially  to  Penn- 
sylvania, in  the  hope  that  God  may  thereby 
be  glorified. 

We  cannot  read  these  Reports  without  (by 
the  blessing  of  God)  becoming  wiser  and  bet- 
ter Christians.  For  the  soul  to  be  without 
knowledge  is  not  good,  and  it  cannot  be  good 
for  Lutherans  in  America  to  be  any  longer 
ignorant  of  the  early  history  of  their  Church 
in  this  country.  J.  Oswald. 

York,  Pa.,  Oct.,  1879. 


PREFACE. 


Kind  Reader: — As  is  known,  the  Evangelical 
Lutheran  German  congregations  in  America  have 
been  strong  and  numerous  there,  since  the  beginning 
of  the  present  century.  They,  indeed,  found  their 
bodily  sustenance  ;  but  those  who  did  not  also  at  the 
same  time  forget  their  religion  with  their  Fatherland, 
found  it  very  disadvantageous  for  themselves,  and  their 
growing  children,  that  in  most  places  they  were  either 
wholly  wanting  in  pastors,  or  they  had  to  entrust 
themselves  and  theirs  to  such  persons  who,  without  a 
regular  call  and  ordination,  had  arbitrarily  set  them- 
selves up  as  teachers,  and  in  part  only  sought  to  ob- 
tain their  livelihood  thereby.  This  occasioned,  that 
several  of  those  Germans  who  had  emigrated,  earnestly 
entreated  that  we  should  send  them  teachers  from 
Europe,  who  were  in  earnest  to  save  souls,  and  to 
lead  them  on  the  way  of  salvation.  As  this  request 
was  already  brought  in  here,  and  in  other  places,  in 
the  year  1733,  so  the  history  of  the  preachers  sent 
from  Germany  to  America  actually  already  extends 
back  more  than  half  a  century.  But  it  is  not  my  ob- 
ject now  to  continue  this  history  from  its  first  begin- 
ning until  the  present  time.  It  is  fully  carried  out 
in  this  first  volume,  which  is  now  closed  with  the  six- 
(v) 


VI  PREFACE. 

teenth  continuation,  and  which  properly  begins  with 
the  year  1742,  in  which  the  as  yet  surviving  D.  Henry 
Melchior  Muhlenberg,  the  present  truly  meritorious 
senior  of  the  German  Evangelical  Ministerium  in 
North  America,  safely  arrived  in  Philadelphia,  and 
was  received  with  much  joy,  as  the  first  regularly 
called  and  ordained  preacher  sent  out  from  here. 

To  this  from  the  beginning  extraordinarily  active 
first  teacher,  until  to  his  present  age,  adorned  with 
glory  and  merit,  there  were  afterwards  some  assist- 
ants sent  from  here,  as  the  further  extension  and 
wants  of  the  congregations  there  required  ;  to  men- 
tion all  of  whom  in  this  place  would  be  too  prolix, 
and  indeed,  unnecessary  also,  for  this  reason,  that  the 
principal  matters  concerning  their  mission,  arrival 
and  official  transactions,  were  sufficiently  noticed 
according  to  the  succession  of  time,  in  the  several 
articles  of  this  volume.  Some  of  them  have  long 
since  entered  into  their  rest,  as  Messrs.  Brunnholz, 
Handschuch,Schaum,  and  Heinzelmann,  but  whose 
memories  are  still  blessed.  The  other  older  fellow- 
laborers,  -whose  life,  as  far  as  we  know,  God  has  pro- 
longed until  now,  and  who  have  for  the  most  part 
been  in  office  for  more  than  twenty  years,  as  the 
preachers,  Voigt,  Krug,  Schulze  (Christ.  Immanuel), 
Helmuth  and  Schmidt,  to  whom  as  yet  came  Mr. 
Kunze,  since  1770,  are  often  mentioned  with  merited 
renown  in  the  several  continuations.  Their  names 
must  also  be  written  down  as  a  blessing,  as  they 
gloriously  emulated  the  example  of  their  worthy 
senior,  and  administered  their  office  with  all  faithful- 


PREFACE.  Vll 

ness,  which  can  even  be  testified  of  them,  as  men  of 
known  learning-,  who  were  drawn  as  yet  to  other  offi- 
ces, of  which  there  is  something  to  be  cited  hereafter. 
The  number  of  the  before-mentioned  preachers,  who 
all  received  their  call  here  from  abroad,  seems  indeed 
to  be  somewhat  large  ;  but  for  the  wants  of  the  congre- 
gations there,  living  scattered  here  and  there,  who 
cannot  all  support  their  own  teacher,  it  had  still  been 
insufficient.  Repeatedly,  and  sometimes  under  cir- 
cumstances when  we  could  not  immediately  give  the 
aid,  several  honest  teachers  were  desired,  after  they 
in  America  saw  the  great  difference,  which  put  itself 
forth  between  these,  and  those  who  went  there  of  their 
own  accord,  without  being  called  and  approved. 
From  the  beginning  of  the  present  century  and  until 
now,  good  Pennsylvania  has  had  the  lot,  that  many 
who  had  either  not  studied  at  all,  or  yet  in  Christian- 
ity and  knowledge  had  radically  accomplished  noth- 
ing, or  indeed,  even  if  they  already  had  a  spiritual 
office  in  Germany,  they  had  forfeited  it  by  bad  con- 
duct— went  there,  and  ingratiated  themselves  with 
individuals  or  congregations,  and  thus  crept  into  the 
teachers'  office.  It  is  readily  imagined,  how  bad  it 
proved  for  souls  by  means  of  such,  who  only  seek  for 
their  own,  and  when  they  believe  to  find  it  better 
elsewhere,  immediately  leave  their  congregations 
again.  But  great  disorders  were  also  occasioned  by 
such  hirelings  in  several  congregations,  and  at  length 
the  desire  was  excited  in  them,  that  they  might  also 
be  provided  with  approved  and  trustworthy  pastors. 
But  when  capable  men  could   not    always  be  found 


Viii  PREFACE. 

immediately,  it  was  a  great  relief  that  the  preachers 
there  took  young  men,  who  were  present  with  them, 
and  who  gave  rise  to  good  hope  under  their  instruc- 
tion, directed  them  for  several  years,  and  then,  after  a 
previous  examination  in  common  in  a  synodical  con- 
ference, appointed  them  on  trial  for'a  fixed  time  in 
such  congregations  that  needed  their  services,  and 
afterwards  also,  if  found  capable  and  faithful  in 
the  exercise  of  their  office,  appointed  them  over  the 
congregations  which  desired  them  for  their  regular 
teachers.  In  this  manner  the  number  of  the  lawfully 
ordained  Evangelical  Lutheran  preachers  in  America 
gradually  increased  considerably.  As  I  just  now  find 
in  the  Liturgy  published  last  year  in  Philadelphia, 
the  names  of  all  the  then  members  of  the  Evangelical 
Lutheran  United  Ministerium  together,  I  deem  it  use- 
ful to  cite  them  here.  There  are  altogether  24,  viz. : 
Mr.  Henry  Melchior  Muhlenberg,  Doctor  of  Theology, 
and  senior  of  the  Ministerium,  Mr.  Nicholas  Kurtz 
(the  older),  Mr.  William  Kurtz  (the  younger),  Mr. 
Ludwig  Voigt,  Mr.  Jno.  Andrew  Krug,  Mr.  Christian 
Immanuel  Schulze,  Mr.  George  Bager,  Mr.  Justus 
Christian  Henry  Helmuth,  Doctor  of  Theology,  Mr. 
Jno.  Fredr.  Schmidt,  'Mr.  Jno.  Christopher  Kunze, 
Doctor  of  Theology,  Mr.  M.  Henry  Muhlenberg  (the 
younger),  Mr.  Conrad  Fredr.  Wildbahn,  Mr.  Jacob 
V.  Busskirk,  Mr.  Jno.  Friderici,  Mr.  Christian  Streit, 
Mr.  Jno.  George  Jung,  Mr.  Conrad  Roller,  Mr.  Jac. 
Curing,  Mr.  Daniel  Schroter,  Mr.  Daniel  Lehmann, 
Mr.  Henry  Moller,  Mr.  Frederick  Ernst,  Mr.  Fred- 
erick Valentine  Melssheimer,  and  Mr.  Daniel  Kurtz. 


PREFACE.  IX 

Last  year  there  was  as  yet  added  to  these,  Mr.  John 
Frederick  Weinland,  of  whose  mission,  arrival  and 
present  advancement,  I  have  here  to  report.  He 
was  born  in  Romhild,  and  studied  theology  from  1769 
to  1772,  in  the  Royal  Prussian  Frederick's  University 
of  this  place,  during  which  time  he  commended  him- 
self by  his  diligence  and  quiet  Christian  conduct,  and 
also  labored  in  the  schools  in  the  orphan-house  here, 
not  without  profit  to  the  youth.  Then  already  my 
predecessor,  now  resting  in  the  Lord,  D.  Freyling- 
hausen,  had  selected  him,  to  offer  to  him  the  call  to 
America.  Bodily  weakness,  however,  which  re- 
mained from  a  fever  which  he  had  shortly  before 
passed  through,  did  not  at  that  time  permit  him  to 
undertake  a  journey  so  distant.  After  the  close, 
therefore,  of  his  academical  studies,  Mr.  Weinland 
returned  to  his  native  country,  to  wait  for  the  ways 
which  the  Lord  would  show  unto  him,  whilst  he 
meanwhile  endeavored  to  make  himself  useful  as  a 
family  tutor,  and  also  diligently  exercised  himself  in 
preaching.  Now,  when  the  Reverend  Ministerium, 
and  the  members  of  the  united  German  Evangelical 
Lutheran  congregations  in  Pennsylvania,  in  the  year 
1784,  had  made  application  to  send  them  two  new 
preachers  from  here  if  possible,  and  this  desire  was  also 
again  made  known  in  1785, 1  resolved  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  to  offer  the  call  to  this  candidate,  whom  we  as 
yet  had  in  good  remembrance,  and  of  whose  continued 
purity  1  was  sufficiently  assured  by  a  worthy  friend, 
who  had  observed  him  well,  and  had  sometimes,  also, 
let  him  preach  for  him.     Now,  although  I  had  to  leave 


X  PREFACE. 

it  to  the  nearer  divine  direction,  and  could  not  per- 
cisely  specify  beforehand,  to  which  place  he,  accord- 
ing to  the  circumstances  of  the  American  congrega- 
tions, would  be  appointed,  he  let  himself  be  found 
willing  to  go  there,  wherever  the  Lord  would  make 
use  of  him.  After  his  examination  and  ordination  by 
the  high  county  Stollberg  Consistory  in  Wernigerode, 
his  departure  over  Holland  followed  in  April  of  last 
year.  At  the  close  of  May  he  embarked  at  Amster- 
dam, and  under  Divine  guidance  arrived  safely  in 
Philadelphia,  on  the  18th  of  August.  The  congrega- 
tion at  Germantown  chose  him  for  their  preacher, 
which  offer  he  also  willingly  accepted.  May  the 
Lord  by  his  Spirit  ever  fit  him  more  for  his  import- 
ant office,  and  set  him  for  a  blessing  for  his  Zion 
there ! 

It  was  mentioned  above,  that  some  of  the  older 
preachers  have  gotten  into  various  learned  connec- 
tions. I  therefore  deem  it  useful,  for  its  elucidation, 
as  yet  to  add  something,  especially  as  perhaps  but  few 
among  us  may  have  a  sufficient  knowledge  of  the 
more  recent  arrangements  which  have  been  made  in 
Philadelphia  and  in  New  York,  for  the  advancement  of 
science.  Many  a  misunderstanding  may  also  beob-. 
viated  thereby,  which  might  result  therefrom,  that  in 
the  more  recent  continuations  several  of  the  older 
preachers,  who  were  always  only  met  with  under  this 
name,  are  cited  as  doctors  and  professors.  The  mat- 
ter stands  thus:  Until  the  year  1779,  there  had  been 
only  one  academical  gymnasium  in  Philadelphia,  but 
which   in    said  year  was  raised  into  a  university,  and 


PREFACE.  XI 

twenty-four  wardens  (trustees)  were  appointed,  among 
whom  also  the  first  preachers  of  all  religions  have  a 
place.  The  gymnasium  was  retained  under  the  name 
academy,  but  is  distinct  from  the  recently  established 
university,  and  is  properly  only  an  institute  for  the 
Germans,  who  therein  lay  the  first  foundation,  and 
must  daily  bestow  two  hours  upon  learning  the  Eng- 
lish language,  so  that  they  may  benefit  by  the  English 
lectures  when  they  get  into  the  university.  In  the 
university  even  a  German  Professor  of  Philology  has 
been  appointed,  who  propounds  rudimental  science 
and  the  learned  languages  in  German,  with  whom 
those  who,  after  a  previous  examination,  are  discharged 
from  the  academy  (gymnasium),  continue  the  study 
of  the  Latin,  Greek,  and  Hebrew  languages  (which 
last,  however,  as  the  German  also,  has  not,  as  yet, 
found  many  lovers  among  the  young  Englishmen), 
but  visit  the  philosophical  and  other  lectures,  with  the 
English  professors.  The  German  professorship  of 
Philology  was  transferred  to  the  preacher  Kunze,  who 
now  from  that  time  appears  under  the  name  of  Pro- 
fessor in  the  sixteenth  continuation,  first  of  Latin  and 
Greek,  but  afterwards  of  the  Oriental  languages. 
This  new  arrangement  may  be  very  useful  for  the 
culture  of  science  generally,  and  especially  also  for 
the  Germans  in  America.  It  has  also  made  rapid 
progress,  as  already  in  the  year  1784  a  public  exami- 
nation was  appointed  in  the  university,  and  the  young 
physicians  were  examined  in  Materia  Medica,  Chem- 
istry, and  Anatomy.  They  also  then  began  to  confer 
academical  honors.     Several  of  the  young  students 


Xll  PREFACE. 

who  distinguished  themselves  by  their  ability  in  the 
public  and  private  examinations,  the  latter  of  which 
are  somewhat  more  rigid,  have  already  been  made 
bachelors.  They  have  also  undertaken  promotions 
in  the  higher  faculties.  The  honor  of  a  Doctor  of 
Theology  was  imparted  to  the  Professors  Kunze  and 
Helmuth,  as  well  as  to  the  deserving  senior,  Mr. 
Muhlenberg,  as  a  mark  of  just  esteem  for  his  many 
years'  service.  Dr.  Kunze  had  indeed  accepted  of  a  call 
to  New  York,  where  a  university  was  likewise  estab- 
lished, in  which  he  is  professor  of  the  Oriental  lan- 
guages. The  vacated  place  of  Professor  of  Philology 
in  Philadelphia,  was  again  occupied  by  Dr.  Helmuth. 
Now  as  much  as  the  labors  of  said  preachers  were 
increased  by  their  learned  occupations,  into  which 
they  were  drawn  on  account  of  their  zeal  for  the  pro- 
motion of  good  objects,  and  their  recognized  ability, 
yet  they  did  not,  on  that  account,  neglect  their  chief 
destination,  but  administered  their  office  as  preachers 
with  all  faithfulness. 

In  proof  of  how  much  they  now  in  Pennsylvania, 
and  especially  in  Philadelphia,  take  to  heart  the 
welfare  of  the  Germans,  who  often  arrive  in  America 
in  the  most  deplorable  condition,  and  endeavor  to 
mitigate  their  misery,  I  will,  in  conclusion,  only 
briefly  mention  several  laudable  arrangements.  The 
one  is  known  by  the  name  of  the  German  Society. 
It  has  no  learned  occupation  for  its  object,  as  might 
be  inferred  from  the  name,  but  its  object  is  to  aid  the 
newly  arrived  Germans,  and  to  guard  them  from 
being   overreached  by   merchants  and  ship-captains. 


PREFACE.  Xlli 

It  is  known  that  the  Germans  who  are  unable  to  pay 
for  their  passage,  must  obligate  themselves  to  servi- 
tude for  certain  years  ;  which  hard  destiny  was  for- 
merly so  much  the  harder,  as  the  magistrate  to  whom 
they  had  to  apply  did  not  understand  German.  But 
now  about  one  hundred  noble-minded  citizens,  of 
various  religious  denominations,  have  formed  them- 
selves into  a  society,  who  care  for  the  welfare  of  the 
arriving  Germans;  and  one  of  their  number,  a  born 
German,  eactf  time,  himself,  prepares  the  letters  of 
service.  Similar  societies  have  also  been  established 
in  New  York  and  Baltimore.  Another '  laudable 
arrangement  has  been  effected  by  the  so-called  over- 
seers of  the  poor,  who  are  distributed  throughout 
Pennsylvania,  who  care  for  this,  that  the  shame-faced 
poor  are  provided  for  according  to  necessity,  and 
when  they  die,  that  they  are  decently  buried.  These 
arrangements  honor  the  promoters  as  well  as  the 
partakers,  and  are  a  proof  that  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel 
has  penetrated  their  hearts,  and  made  them  willing 
for  active  love  towards  their  needy  neighbor. 

The  Lord  grant  grace,  that  his  word  may  also  be 
further  proclaimed  with  a  blessing  in  the  regions 
there,  and  bring  forth  much  good  fruit.  To  his  faith- 
fulness  and  paternal  kindness  we  commend  all  the 
laborers  there,  and  those  also  who  wait  upon  their 
office.  His  grace  be  and  remain  with  them  all. 
Written  in  the  Royal  Frederick's  University,  at  Halle, 
on  the  27th  of  April,  1787. 

D.  Jno.  Ludwig  Schulze. 


PAGE. 

Preface 5 

CHAPTER   I. 
A  Short  Report  of  Several  Evangelical  Lutheran  Con- 
gregations in  America 17 

CHAPTER    II. 
A  Continuation  of  the  Short  Report  of  Several   Evan- 
gelical Lutheran  Congi-egations  in  America 63 

CHAPTER    III. 
Second  Continuation  of  the  Short    Report  of   Several 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Congregations  in  Pennsylvania 
and  Neighboring  Provinces,  in  America 87 

CHAPTER    IV. 
Third  Continuation  of  the   Report  of  Several  Evangel- 
ical  Lutheran   Congregations   in  America,  especially 
in  Pennsylvania 121 

(xv) 


XVI  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    V. 
Extracts  from  Pastor  Handschuch's  Diary,  which  he  kept 
on  his  voyage  from  England  to  Pennsylvania 164 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Fourth  Continuation  of  the  Report  of  Several  Evangel- 
ical Lutheran  Congregations  in  America,  especially 
in  Pennsylvania — A  Report  of  Most  Recent  Cir- 
cumstances— The  Mission  of  Two  New  Assistants — 
What  was  Reported  in  the  Latest  Letters  from  Penn- 
sylvania— Reminiscences  against  Count  Von  Zinzen- 
dorf,  which  are  subjoined  as  an  appendage 217 

CHAPTER   VII. 
Report   of  Pastor  Muhlenberg's  Official    Transactions 
Hitherto 270 


A   SHORT    REPORT 

OF   SEVERAL 

EVANGELICAL 

LUTHERAN  CONGREGATIONS 

IK"   AMERICA. 

CHAPTER    I. 

§  I.  The  precious  kindness  of  God,  which 
he  shows  to  so  many  places,  especially  also  at 
this  time,  by  the  abundant  publication  of  his 
word,  is,  alas,  properly  recognized  by  the 
smaller  number  of  those  who  superfluously 
enjoy  it.  Nor  is  it  used  for  their  soul's  salva- 
tion according  to  the  loving  purpose  of  God, 
that  they  might  permit  themselves  to  be  led 
to  Christ  through  the  instruction  out  of  such 
word  of  God.  On  the  contrary,  we  notice 
that  those  from  whom  this  privilege  has  been 
taken  away  for  a  season,  and  to  whom  God  has 
sent  a  hunger,  not  after  bread  but  for  his  zvord 
2*  B 


1 8  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

(Amos  viii.  ii),  then  first  learn  how  highly 
this  should  be  esteemed.  Therefore,  also,  if 
God  again  grants  them  his  word  anew,  and 
permits  the  same  to  be  published  to  them  in 
spirit  and  in  power,  they  receive  it  with  much 
more  desire.  If  this  does  not  happen  with  all 
to  whom  the  Lord  grants  the  privilege  of  hear- 
ing his  word  again,  yet  there  are  many  who, 
like  starving  sheep,  use  this  word  of  God  as 
the  food  for  their  souls,  with  longing  desire  for 
their  salvation,  and  heartily  thank  God  for  it. 
An  example  hereof  may  be  furnished  by  those 
German  Evangelical  Lutheran  congregations 
in  Pennsylvania,  of  which  this  short  report 
treats. 

§  2.  It  is  known  that  towards  the  close  of 
the  preceding  century  many  immunities  and 
privileges  were  promised  to  the  new  settlers  in 
the  English  colonies  in  North  America,  from 
which  time  many  hundreds  of  families  from 
Germany  went  thither,  and  in  great  numbers 
settled  in  other  provinces  and  lands,  as  well  as 
in  Pennsylvania  specially.  Pennsylvania  is  that 
territory  on  the  coast  of  Canada,  in  North 
America,  belonging  to  the  English,  which  lies 
between   Maryland,   New  Jersey,   New   York, 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 9 

and  the  country  of  the  wild  Iroquois,  and  was 
granted  by  Charles  II.  in  1681  to  the  rich 
Quaker,  William  Penn,  whose  name  it  bears, 
that  he  might  cultivate  and  settle  it. 

§  3.  With  the  external  condition  and  the 
present  form  of  government  of  this  country  we 
do  not  now  concern  ourselves.  Whatever  re- 
lates to  church  affairs  in  the  same,  we  have  the 
regulations  of  other  church  parties  and  sects, 
the  names  of  many  of  which  will  hereafter  be 
mentioned.  But  we  shall  investigate  their 
worship  just  as  little,  as  specially  to  notice  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  congregations  which  are 
here  and  there  well  supplied  with  preachers. 
The  discourse  is  here  only  of  those  Evangelical 
Lutheran  congregations  consisting  of  born 
Germans. 

§  4.  These,  at  least  the  greater  part  of 
these,  were  wanting  in  a  sufficient  provision 
in  churches  and  schools,  so  that  they  had  as 
yet  no  regularly  called  preachers,  by  whom 
they  could  be  instructed  out  of  the  word  of 
God,  and  enjoy  the  regular  use  of  the  holy 
sacraments.  Therefore  their  children,  for  the 
most  part,  grew  up  in  their  ignorance  without 
instruction,   wherever  the  parents   themselves 


20  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

were  incapable  of  leading  them  to  some  knowl- 
edge of  God  and  divine  things.  Such  persons, 
indeed,  were  not  wanting,  who  from  selfish 
motives  offered  themselves  as  teachers.  But 
experience  taught  that  such  not  only  cared 
little  for  the  souls  of  the  hearers,  but  that  they 
also,  by  their  bad  life  and  example,  only  did  the 
more  harm — the  disorder  of  the  congregations 
thereby  ever  becoming  greater  and  more  sad. 

§  5.  In  such  mournful  circumstances  these 
forsaken  congregations  found  themselves,  that 
at  length,  several  of  these,  about  the  year 
1733,  were  constrained  by  this  necessity  to 
look  to  Europe  for  help — to  make  known 
through  several  delegates  their  souls'  peril, 
both  in  England  and  Germany,  and  to  ask 
earnestly  for  help,  as  well  for  the  building  of 
the  necessary  churches  and  schools,  as  especi- 
ally also  for  the  appointment  of  competent 
teachers.  They  were  properly  the  congrega- 
tions of  Philadelphia,  the  chief  city  of  this 
land,  and  of  the  places  lying  perhaps  nine  or 
ten  German  miles  in  the  interior,  New  Han- 
over and  Providence,  which  had  recourse  in 
their  solicitations  especially  to  the  worthy 
royal   British  court  preacher,  in  the   German 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  2  1 

Lutheran  Castle  Chapel,  in  London,  Mr.  Fred- 
erick Michael  Ziegenhagen,  who  not  only  him- 
self took  a  heartfelt  interest  in  their  need,  but 
also  was  of  advantage  to  them  by  his  com- 
mendatory letters  to  worthy  theologians  and 
preachers. 

§  6.  Among  others,  the  court  preacher  Zie- 
genhagen  gave  to  one  of  these  delegates,  viz., 
Daniel  Weissiger,  an  impressive  letter  of  re- 
commendation to  a  certain  now  deceased 
preacher  in  Hanover,  dated  January  28th, 
1734,  in  which  he  especially  wrote  the  follow- 
ing, "  That  it  is,  alas !  too  true,  that  the  Evan- 
gelical congregations  scattered  here  and  there 
throughout  America,  especially  in  Virginia, 
Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  etc.,  are  in  a  very 
bad  condition,  especially  in  reference  to  the 
word  of  God  and  the  holy  sacraments,  and 
such  necessary  institutions  as  are  required  for 
the  instruction  and  understanding  of  the  word 
of  God,  and  the  right  use  of  the  holy  sacra- 
ments. I  have  many  letters  of  complaint  from 
various  congregations,  in  which  they  urgently 
request  Bibles,  books  of  prayer,  catechisms, 
preachers  and  other  helps,  and  even  acknowl- 
edge that,  on  account  of  the  great  destitutions 


22  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

of  these  means  of  grace  and  salvation,  they 
and  their  children  must  needs  again  become 
heathen.  It  grieves  me  not  a  little  that  I  know 
not  how  to  relieve  this  misery.  The  congre- 
gation of  Philadelphia  especially,  of  which 
Daniel  Weissiger  is  a  member,  sent  me  a  long 
letter  of  complaint  in  October  of  the  previous 
year,  in  which,  among  others,  is  found  the 
following  :  We  live  in  a  land  full  of  heresy  and 
sects.  We  arc  in  the  utmost  want  and  poverty  of 
soul,  and  are  unable  to  rescue  ourselves  by  our  own 
means,  if  God  does  not  show  us  help  and  means 
from  another  place.  The  great  number  of  young 
people  growing  up  are  miserably  to  be  zveptfor, 
who  knozv  not  which  is  left  or  right,  and  on  ac- 
count of  the  want  of  churches  and  schools,  it  is  to 
be  feared,  if  help  does  not  soon  come,  the  most 
of  them  might  be  led  into  grievous  ways  of  error. 
The  blessed  God  who  tries  the  heart  and  reins 
knows  how  necessary  to  us  is  the  help  of  other 
fellow  Christians.  In  gathering  the  collection 
requested,  we  certainly  sought  for  nothing  else 
than  the  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  and 
welfare  of  so  many  poor  human  souls  scattered 
abroad  in  this  land.  We  care  nothing  about 
rearing  stately  buildings;  if  we  only   had  so 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  23 

much  that  we  could  put  up  houses  in  some  places 
in  this  land,  in  which  we  could  regidarly  meet  to 
praise  and  magnify  our  God,  and  instruct  the 
youth.  But  zve  still  hope  that  the  merciful  God 
will  not  forsake  us,  but  azvake?i  benevolent  hearts, 
that  will  run  to  us  in  our  need,  so  that  zve  fail 
not  utterly.  We  cannot  therefore  cease,  reverend 
sir,  once  more  most  humbly  to  entreat  and  im- 
plore you,  so  far  as  possible,  to  care  for  us,  etc. 
It  is  indisputable  that  this  and  other  evangeli- 
cal congregations  in  America  are  in  great 
distress,  and  besides,  their  necessity  in  other 
places  is  not  sufficiently  known,  and  where  it 
is  known,  it  is  not  properly  considered  or  taken 
to  heart.  In  the  meanwhile,  with  such  poor 
people,  the  misery  ever  increases  in  things 
spiritual.  Reverend  sir,  if  you  can  assist 
Daniel  Weissiger  in  his  purpose,  I  shall  have 
requested  it  most  respectfully.  Have  com- 
passion on  the  perishing  lambs  and  sheep  of 
Christ  in  America,  and  help,  that  they  may 
speedily  be  revived.  Though  I  have  not  as 
yet  the  means  in  hand,  I  will  also  venture  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord,  to  send  to  different  con- 
gregations in  America  a  number  of  Bibles, 
New    Testaments,    prayer    and    hymn    books, 


24  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

catechisms,  and  ABC  books."  No  notice 
will  be  taken  at  present  of  other  letters  whereby 
the  court  preacher  Ziegenhagen  sought  to  pre- 
sent the  need  of  these  congregations  to  Chris- 
tian theologians  and  patrons  in  Germany, 
especially  to  Dr.  and  Prof.  Franke,  in  Halle, 
and  to  encourage  them  to  consider  their  case. 
-  §  7.  But  to  make  the  sad  condition  of  such 
forsaken  congregations  better  known .  in  Ger- 
many, the  said  Daniel  Weissiger  printed  over 
his  own  signature  a  short  report  from  America, 
at  Hildesheim,  dated  May  3,  1734.  He  also 
published  the  letter  cited  of  the  court  preacher 
Ziegenhagen,  and  likewise  a  report  drawn  up 
concerning  the  oft-mentioned  Lutheran  congre- 
gations, attested  by  the  royal  English  gover- 
nor, nothing  of  which  needs  repetition  in  this 
place,  inasmuch  as  this  short  report,  according 
to  its  full  import,  was  inserted  in  the  24th  arti- 
cle, page  973,  etc.,  in  the  collections  of  choice 
materials  for  the  building  tip  of  the  Kingdom  of 
God,  which  was  published  in  Leipsic,  in  which 
also  there  is  nothing  more  concerning  the  con- 
dition of  these  congregations  than  has  already 
been  noticed  and  becomes  evident  by  that 
which  follows. 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  2$ 

§  8.  Now  when  so  many  Christian  hearts 
were  moved  to  pity  by  the  destitution  of  these 
congregations,  as  well  by  this  printed  report  as 
also  through  other  written  and  oral  publica- 
tions, and  were  led  by  the  heart-guiding  power 
of  God  to  consecrate  some  of  their  means 
to  bear  the  expenses  required  to  commence 
churches  and^schools,  and  the  employment  of 
able  teachers,  and  according  to  direction  sent 
many  loving  favors  to  the  now  deceased  Dr. 
Pfeiffer,  of  Leipsic,  to  Dr.  and  Prof.  Franke  in 
Halle,  to  the  senior  Urlsperger  in  Augsburg, 
and  to  pastor  Maier  in  Halle ;  we  feel  it  a  duty 
not  only  hereby  once  more  publicly  to  bear 
witness  to  the  sincere  gratitude  with  which 
those  kind  benefactions  were  received,  but  also 
to  give  notice  to  the  most  worthy  benefactors, 
how  their  temporal  gifts  were  employed  for  the 
honor  of  God  and  the  welfare  of  these  oft-men- 
tioned congregations. 

§  9.  The  before-named  Daniel  Weissiger, 
prior  to  his  departure  for  Pennsylvania,  not 
only  again  very  urgently  made  request  both  in 
Germany  and  England,  before  all  things  else, 
to  send  to  the  congregations  a  worthy  teacher, 
who  could  serve  them  by  instruction  out  of  the 
3 


26  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

word  of  God  and  the  holy  sacraments,  and 
under  whose  supervision  all  things  might  again 
be  brought  into  good  Christian  order;  espe- 
cially since  John  Christian  Schulze,  who  was 
accepted  by  them  as  preacher,  and  was  dele- 
gate with  Daniel  Weissiger,  could  not  return 
again :  but  the  congregations  also,  themselves 
afterwards,  frequently  in  many  letters,  impres- 
sively repeated  this  request.  Therefore,  from 
this  time  they  endeavored  to  find  a  suitable 
man  hereunto. 

§  10.  However,  a  considerable  time  elapsed 
herewith,  because,  besides  the  scarcity  of  hon- 
est and  suitable  laborers  in  such  a  work,  other 
important  hindrances  were  also  in  the  way : 
still  at  last  the  merciful  God  removed  these  for 
the  most  part,  and  gave  his  blessing  to  the  ef- 
forts made,  so  that  a  man  was  found  who  was 
already  in  the  ministry  for  some  time,  and  had 
given  proof  therein  of  his  self-denial  and  faith- 
fulness, and  also  had  irmch  experience;  the 
hope  could,  therefore,  be  entertained  with  refer- 
ence to  him,  that  by  God's  blessing  and  help  he 
would  not  labor  among  these  forsaken  congre- 
gations without  usefulness.  Such  was  Henry 
Melchior    Muhlenberg,   born    in    Eimbeck    in 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  '    2J 

Hanover,  who  had  been  deacon  hitherto  at 
Grosshennersdorf  in  Lusatia,  also  inspector  of 
an  orphan-house  of  that  place,  and  who  already 
before  this  manifested  an  inclination  to  serve 
God  according  to  his  will  in  strange  lands. 

§  II.  Now  after  the  call  was  actually  given 
him  in  September,  1 741,  by  Doctor  and  Prof. 
Franke  in  Halle,  in  the  name  of  the  frequently 
mentioned  German  Lutheran  congregations  in 
Philadelphia,  New  Hanover,  and  Providence,  to 
become  their  preacher,  God  also  convinced 
his  heart  in  many  ways  concerning  his  will, 
and  made  him  willing  to  accept  the  call,  so 
that  after  he  had  obtained  his  dismission  from 
his  office  as  preacher  in  Grosshennersdorf,  he 
set  out  for  Pennsylvania,  by  way  of  England, 
where  he  arrived  on  the  17th  of  April,  1742, 
and  remained  there  until  June  of  the  same 
year. 

§  12.  Inasmuch  as  it  was  thought  proper,  for 
good  reasons,  that  he  should  first  visit  Eben- 
ezer,  in  Georgia,  for  the  purpose  of  making 
the  acquaintance  of  the  experienced  preacher 
of  the  Saltzburg  congregation,  Pastor  Boltzius, 
to  consult  with  him  about  his  future  employ- 
ment, and   to  inquire  concerning  the  state  of 


28  •  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

the  country,  and  whereby  it  was  hoped,  at  the 
same  time,  that  he  might  possibly  be  induced 
to  accompany  him  to  Pennsylvania,  and  assist 
his  entrance  into  his  future  congregations, 
pastor  Muhlenberg,  after  he  had  specially 
strengthened  himself  by  a  blessed  intercourse 
with  the  court  preacher,  Ziegenhagen,  went  on 
board  of  a  vessel,  which  sailed  for  Charleston, 
in  Carolina,  on  which  there  was  also  a  new 
Saltzburg  family  going  to  Ebenezer,  and  com- 
menced his  voyage  on  the  23d  of  June,  1742. 
On  this  voyage,  not  only  was  this  Saltzburg 
family  served  by  him  with  the  word  of  God 
and  the  Sacrament  of  the  Holy  Supper ;  but 
although  his  knowledge  of  the  English  lan- 
guage, chiefly  attained  in  London,  was  as  yet 
very  defective,  yet  on  several  occasions  he 
could  not  refuse  the  earnest  desire  of  the  rest 
of  the  ship's  company  to  edify  them  with  an 
English  service,  and  sought  to  be  a  pattern  to 
them,  and  also  to  awaken  them  with  Christian 
consolation.  God  also  wrought  many  a  con- 
viction and  good  resolution  in  them  by  his 
intercourse  with  them. 

§  13.  In  externals,  he  had  to  pass  through 
many  trials  on  this  voyage.     Because  of  calms, 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  29 

the  ship  was  detained  an  unusually  long  time 
on  the  ocean,  viz.:  for  the  space  of  fourteen 
weeks  and  three  days.  For  this  reason,  the 
stock  of  water  was  already  so  diminished  on 
the  27th  of  August,  that  the  allowance  had  to 
be  limited,  but  at  length  it  failed  altogether. 
If  God  had  not  soon  sent  a  favorable  wind, 
nearly  the  whole  company  would  have  per- 
ished with  thirst.  Although  a  favorable  wind 
arose  on  the  29th  of  AJlgust,  yet  afterwards 
frequent  calms  and  contrary  winds  occurred, 
so  that  they  had  either  to  lie  still  or  be  driven 
away.  When  final1  y  they  saw  land  at  a  dis- 
tance on  the  15th  6f  September,  after  they  had 
subsisted  several  days  on  sweet  oil  and  vine- 
gar, etc.,  a  contrary  wind  again  drove  them 
back  from  land,  so  that  they  only  entered 
Charleston  harbor  on  the  21st  of  September, 
in  which  six  days  they  must  have  perished  of 
thirst  (because  already  on  the  16th,  every 
kind  of  beverage  on  board  was  fully  ex- 
hausted) had  they  not,  on  the  said  day,  met 
two  English  ships  of  war,  which  supplied  them 
with  several  tuns  of  water. 

§  14.  On  the  24th  of  September,  pastor  Muh- 
lenberg continued  his  journey,  together  with 
3* 


30  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

the  Saltzburg  family,  from  Charleston  towards 
Ebenezer  via  Savannah,  in  a  boat  on  the  Savan- 
nah river.  He  arrived  in  Ebenezer  on  the  4th 
of  October,  in  company  with  Rev.  Gronau  from 
that  place,  whom  he  met  in  Savannah.  The 
Saltzburg  family  arrived  on  the  6th  of  October. 
He  tarried  eight  days  in  that  place,  which  time 
he  employed  after  his  wearisome  journey,  in 
strengthening  and  refreshing  himself  by  the 
word  of  God  in  intercourse  with  the  upright 
preachers  of  that  place,  Revs.  Boltzius  and 
Gronau.  His  joy  over  the  temporal  and  spir- 
itual blessing  of  God  granted  to  this  Saltzburg 
colony  and  its  good  management,  he  expressed 
in  his  diary  at  his  departure  in  the  following 
words :  "  So  I  must  leave  Ebenezer.  The  Lord 
be  its  protection  and  shield,  and  beneath  his 
blessing  let  it  flourish,  bloom,  and  bear  much 
fruit.  The  worthy  patrons  and  benefactors  in 
Europe  did  not  bestow  their  favors  in  vain.  It 
really  seems  here  just  as  represented  in  the 
printed  reports  in  Germany,  and  in  many  re- 
spects still  better  than  it  was  represented.  In 
temporal  affairs  it  is  a  marvel  how  the  poor 
people  prospered  by  the  help  of  God,  and  in 
things  spiritual,  a  blessed  harvest  is  also  to  be 
hoped  for." 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  3  I 

§15.  Nothing  the  less  did  the  before-men- 
tioned teachers  of  the  Saltzburg  congregation 
testify  in  many  passages  in  their  letters,  and  in 
their  daily  register,  than  that  they  were  very 
much  refreshed  by  the  short  stay  of  pastor 
Muhlenberg  in  their  place,  and  by  the  upright- 
ness of  mind  manifest  in  his  sermons  and  in 
his  general  intercourse,  and  also  that  they  were 
conjoined  to  him  in  cordial  love.  To  notice 
only  one  of  the  more  recent  passages,  they 
write  in  their  diary  of  the  25th  of  February, 
1743  :  "A  Saltzburg  family,  consisting  of  father, 
mother,  and  three  children,  came  to  Ebene- 
zer  five  months  ago  with  pastor  Muhlenberg. 
Whilst  they  were  aboard,  death  as  it  were, 
stared  them  in  the  face,  by  reason  of  the  pro- 
tracted voyage  and  the  utmost  scarcity  of 
water,  and  yet  they  were  providentially  saved 
by  a  most  favorable  wind  which,  in  their  utmost 
need,  carried  them  near  several  English  ships 
of  war.  Wherefore  we  have  reason  to  unite 
ourselves  publicly  in  the  praise  of  God  in  our 
memory;  not  only  with  them,  but  also  mutu- 
ally to  praise  God  on  account  of  the  blessed 
guidance  of  the  loved  pastor  Muhlenberg, 
which   recently  came    to  our   knowledge,   (by 


32  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

which  is  understood  his  happy  reception  by 
the  congregations  in  Pennsylvania);  for  the 
heavenly  Father  has  so  ordained  that  through 
the  Spirit  of  his  Son  we  are  united  to  him  in 
great  love,  and  sympathize  with  him  in  every 
good  thing  which  may  befall  him.  We  have 
prayed  for  him  openly  and  in  secret,  and  now 
we  must  also  praise  God  with  him  and  on  ac- 
count of  him."  We  shall  not  notice  at  present 
any  more  passages  from  their  letters  in  which 
they  set  forth  in  language  still  more  impressive 
their  joy  over  the  uprightness  of  mind  of  the 
Rev.  Muhlenberg  and  their  special  love  for 
him. 

§  1 6.  After  the  Rev.  Muhlenberg  had  recov- 
ered somewhat  from  the  fatigue  of  traveling  by 
his  short  stay  at  Ebenezer,  he  thought  of  the 
further  prosecution  of  his  journey.  Although 
pastor  Boltzius  saw  many  important  hind- 
rances before  him,  to  keep  him  from  going  with 
pastor  Muhlenberg  to  Philadelphia,  yet  from 
love  of  the  work  of  God,  he  resolved  to  over- 
come these,  and  accompanied  him  back  to 
Charleston  on  the  12th  of  October,  with  the 
intent  of  finding  opportunity  there  to  go  all  the 
way   to    Philadelphia.     When,   however,  they 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  33 

had  reached  Charleston,  on  the  20th  of  Octo- 
ber, and  understood  that  no  vessel  would  sail 
for  Philadelphia  before  spring,  and  the  jour- 
ney by  land  was  impossible,  pastor  Boltzius  re- 
turned again  on  the  24th  of  said  month  to  Eb- 
enezer.  Circumstances  did  not  permit  him  to 
wait  all  winter  in  Charleston  for  an  uncertainty, 
and  thus  neglect  the  congregation  intrusted  to 
him.  After  his  departure,  pastor  Muhlenberg 
for  the  most  part  passed  the  time  in  instruct- 
ing several  German  children,  and  on  Sunday 
preached  several  times  to  the  Germans  who 
had  come  hither. 

§  17.  On  the  1st  of  November,  a  shallop 
arrived  there  from  Philadelphia,  which  was  to 
return  again.  All  his  friends  and  the  master 
of  the  vessel  himself  assured  him  that  it  was 
too  small  and  might  be  dangerous  in  winter, 
and  also  that  no  accommodations  were  to  be  had 
on  it  for  travelers.  These  difficulties,  however, 
could  not  detain  him,  inasmuch  as  they  were 
outweighed  by  the  great  desire  to  come  to  the 
help — the  sooner  the  better — of  those  forsaken 
congregations  in  Pennsylvania.  Moreover,  the 
greatest  possible  hasting  of  his  journey  seemed 
to  be  required,  as  the  danger  of  a  still  further 
C 


34  REPORTS   FROM    LUTHERAN 

disorder  was  threatened  by  the  efforts  of  Count 
Zinzendorf,  according  to  the  printed  reports 
which  he  saw  at  Charleston.  He  accordingly 
embarked  on  this  shallop  on  the  1 2th  of  No- 
vember, and  in  the  name  of  God  sailed  for 
Philadelphia  yet  on  the  same  day,  and  once 
more  endured,  on  this  vessel,  much  fatigue  and 
peril  of  life  for  the  space  of  two  weeks.  Be- 
cause of  the  violent  tossings  of  the  small  ship 
he  had  to  keep  his  bed  nearly  all  the  time  on 
account  of  sea  sickness.  As  the  waves  and  the 
rain  dashed  into  the  small,  cabin  of  the  vessel, 
he  was  weakened  not  a  little,  as  well  by  the 
wet  as  by  the  cold  and  constantly  wet  clothing. 
Finally,  however,  he  arrived  in  Philadelphia 
safely  on  the  25  th  of  November,  1742. 

§  18.  This  is  not  the  place  to  give  a  detailed 
account  of  the  condition  of  the  land,  and  es- 
pecially of  this  its  chief  city.  Still,  so  far  as 
the  design  of  this  short  report  is  concerned, 
it  would  not  be  useless,  nor  unacceptable  to 
the  reader,  if  we  here  insert  from  a  letter  of 
Pastor  Muhlenberg,  addressed  to  a  worthy 
theologian  of  a  certain  university,  dated  Au- 
gust the  1 2th,  1743,  that  which  he  therein  says, 
as  well   for  the  praise  of  the  help  of  God  on 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  35 

his  voyage,  as  of  the  condition  of  the  country. 
He  writes  :  "  Reverend  Sir,  1  still  distinctly 
remember  the  last  acceptable  letter  which  I 
received  from  you  in  London.  One  word  in  it 
was  to  me  more  than  others  comfortable  and 
impressive,  viz.:  Reverend  Sir,  you  were  pleased 
to  write  with  my  voyage  and  other  circum- 
stances, the  Lord  will  make  all  things  zuell. 
Certainly  the  Father  reconciled  in  Christ  did 
well,  by  me,  unworthy  and  unprofitable  worm, 
according  to  his  mercy.  Well,  in  London, 
with  the  court  preacher  Ziegenhagen.  Well, 
when  I  embarked  alone  and  as  a  stranger. 
Well,  when  on  the  ship  I  had  to  be  among  a 
strange  nation  and  a  people  of  a  strange 
tongue.  Well,  when  on  board  I  had  to  pass 
through  many  trials,  serious  illness,  and  acci- 
dents. Well,  when  we  with  an  old  ship  and 
without  human  convoy  wandered  through  many 
contrary  winds,  through  enemies,  and  dangerous 
regions.  Well,  when  I  had  opportunity  to  set 
forth  in  the  English  tongue,  to  sinners,  my 
brethren,  the.  great  salvation  which  is  in  the 
Saviour  of  the  world  and  the  judgment  sure  to 
come  for  despising  grace.  Well,  when  we 
were  chastened  by  violent  heat  and  a  torment- 


36  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

ing  thirst.  Well,  when  the  Lord  heard  the 
prayer  and  sighs  of  the  distressed,  and  granted 
a  favorable  wind,  when  asked  for  in  faith. 
Well,  when  he  delivered  us  out  of  danger,  want, 
and  affliction,  and  permitted  us  to  land  safely 
at  Charleston.  Well,  when  he  also  delivered 
me  from  evident  danger  on  my  journey  by 
river  from  Carolina  to  Georgia.  Well,  when 
he  led  me  in  Georgia,  to  the  dear  Saltzburgers 
in  Ebenezer,  our  brethren  in  the  faith,  and 
there  permitted  me  to  hear,  to  see,  and  to  en- 
joy much  good.  The  Lord  did  all  things  well, 
when  he  brought  me  back  again  by  river  from 
Georgia  to  Charleston.  .  Well,  in  this  that  he 
powerfully  succored  and  strengthened  me  in 
Charleston  as  a  stranger,  a  forsaken  and  tempted 
man.  Well,  when  in  winter  I  had  to  continue 
my  voyage  from  Charleston  to  Pennsylvania 
in  a  mean  shallop  over  the  sea,  through  storm, 
discomfort,  and  grievous  sickness.  O  worthy 
father,  help  me  together  with  the  rest  of  the 
friends  of  Christ  to  praise  and  magnify  the 
merciful  and  long-suffering  God !  As  respects 
the  state  or  condition  of  things  of  this  country  : 
In  the  principal  city,  Philadelphia,  which  is 
very  large,   there    is    one    English    Episcopal 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  37 

church  which  has  two  preachers,  who  receive 
their  salary  from  Societate  de  Propaganda  Cog- 
nitione  Christi,  in  London.  The  English 
Presbyterians  have  one  meeting-house  in  the 
city  of  Philadelphia.  The  Quakers,  as  also 
the  English  Anabaptists,  have  their  meeting- 
house in  the  city.  The  Moravians  have  also 
built  a  meeting-house.  The  Catholics  have 
their  meeting-house  and  two  or  three  preach- 
ers. The  Swedes  have  one  church.  In  the 
country  there  are  yet  almost  numberless  sects 
and  sect-houses."  Towards  the  close  of  this 
letter  he  continues :  "  Money  is  scarce,  but 
the  land  is  so  rich  in  all  kinds  of  produce,  that 
it  may  be  said  to  flow  with  milk  and  honey. 
On  the  one  side  we  still  have  the  Indians  or 
heathen,  and  on  the  other  side  we  have  the 
sea.  As  respects  climate,  Pennsylvania  is  for 
Germans  the  best  country  in  America.  In  the 
country  the  houses  are  not  together,  like  the 
villages  in  Germany,  but  there  are  always 
several  thousand  acres  in  one  tract,  whereof 
one  man  sometimes  owns  500,  400,  300,  200, 
100,  50,  20,  or  so  and  so  many  acres.  Such  a 
region  is  at  first  all  a  forest.  When  it  is  settled 
it  is  called  a  township.     Certain  roads  are  then 

4 


38  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

opened  which  lead  towards  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia. If  one  travels  on  the  road,  he  travels 
constantly  in  thicket  or  forest,  with  here  and 
there  a  house  several  miles  apart,  standing 
near  by  the  road.  Most  of  the  houses,  how- 
ever, stand  remote  from  the  highway.  In  the 
country  are  various  rivers  which  quickly  rise 
and  fall  again.  They  are  without  bridges  over 
them,  but  one  must  ride  through  them  and 
sometimes  also  cross  them  with  a  boat.  When 
I  travel  from  Philadelphia  to  the  country  con- 
gregations, I  must  always  cross  three  streams. 
In  the  winter  they  are  frequently  dangerous." 
§  19.  It  is  readily  understood  that  the  many 
sects  mentioned  in  this  letter  might  easily  have 
deterred  even  an  experienced  man  from  accept- 
ing this  call,  and  together  with  a  deficiency  in 
a  knowledge  of  letters  and  the  ignorance  in 
divine  things  which  had  increased  from  year  to 
year,  must  be  a  great  hindrance  to  a  real 
blessing  of  the  word  of  God  in  entering  upon 
the  office  of  teacher  in  these  congregations. 
Pastor  Muhlenberg,  however,  found  on  his  arri- 
val, besides  these  general,  also  various  special 
hindrances.  The  principal  among  these  were, 
because  of  the  long  non-arrival  of  the  regularly 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  39 

called  preachers,  the  congregations  had  in  part 
accepted  as  their  teachers,  preachers  who  had 
been  dismissed  elsewhere,  partly  persons  who 
otherwise  were  unfit  for  the  office,  but  the 
congregation  in  Philadelphia  especially  had  a 
preacher  named  Valentine  Kraft,  who  had  been 
dismissed  in  Zweibriicken ;  and  besides,  Count 
Zinzendorf  was  in  Philadelphia,  and  had  a 
considerable  party.  However  the  first  had  not 
only  themselves  soon  to  betray  their  impurity 
more  clearly  than  it  had  been  before,  and  the 
congregations  were  glad  when  pastor  Muhlen- 
berg produced  before  them  the  written  call 
given  him  in  their  name  and  at  their  request 
(together  with  the  testimonials  and  letters  in 
his  possession),  and,  therefore,  received  him 
with  joy  as  their  teacher,  and  freed  themselves 
from  the  pretended  preachers ;  although  the 
aforesaid  Kraft  pretended  to  a  particular  con- 
sistorial  arrangement,  and  wished  to  constitute 
himself  a  superintendent.  The  last  also,  Count 
Zinzendorf,  could  not  hinder  the  work  of  God. 
Under  the  assumed  nam^  of  a  T.ord  (Herrn) 
von  Thurnstein,  he  represented  himself  as 
Lutheran  preacher  and  inspector  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  in  a  lengthy  conversation  concerning 


40  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

the  Lutheran  Church-book,  which  he  had  ap- 
propriated to  himself,  he  desired  pastor  Muh- 
lenberg to  recognize  him  as  such,  and  because 
he  had  passed  him  by  make  an  apology  to  him. 
He  also  sought  to  prevent  him  from  preaching 
to  the  Lutherans  in  the  Swedish  church,  and 
exerted  himself  to  the  utmost  to  make  him 
distrusted  by  the  congregations,  and  to  turn 
them  away  from  him.  But  pastor  Muhlenberg 
received  permission  from  the  Swedish  church- 
wardens to  use  said  church  for  worship  both 
for  himself  and  his  congregation,  because  the 
old  hired  Lutheran  meeting-house  was  too 
small  and  unserviceable.  He  was  not  only 
accepted  by  the  congregations  as  their  regular 
teacher,  but  furthermore  acknowledged  as 
such.  Count  von  Zinzendorf  was  also  earn- 
estly directed  to  return  the  Church-book  of  the 
Lutheran  congregation ;  but  soon  afterwards, 
(January  1st),  he  left  Philadelphia.  Thus  his  ef- 
forts, as  well  as  afterwards  those  of  his  remaining 
adherents,  were  in  vain  to  hinder  pastor  Muh- 
lenberg's entrance  into  the  congregations.  His 
chief  care  now  was,  how  to  employ  his  time 
most  usefully  and  best  fulfil  his  office,  and  also 
how  he  might  serve  to  the  best  of  his  ability 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  4 1 

the  three  congregations  in   Philadelphia,  New 
Hanover  and  Providence. 

§  20.  Although  Philadelphia  and  New  Han- 
over (from  which  Providence  was  not  far  off) 
were  distant  from  each  other  thirty-six  Eng- 
lish or  nine  German  miles,  and  the  frequent 
traveling  to  and  fro  burdensome,  and  also  on 
account  of  the  intervening  streams,  occasion- 
ally dangerous,  yet  he  resolved  as  far  as  his 
strength  permitted,  to  take  charge  of  the  three 
congregations,  until  God  gave  more  assistants. 
He  arranged  it  so  that  he  might  remain  one 
week  in  each  congregation,  and  throughout 
the  week  (because  of  the  want  of  capable 
schoolmasters)  teach  the  youth  the  doctrines 
of  Christianity,  and  conduct  the  worship  of 
God  on  Sunday.  There  was  also  between 
New  Hanover  and  Philadelphia  a  small  village 
called  Germantown,  in  which  there  were  a  Lu- 
theran church  and  congregation,  and  through 
several  members  they  manifested  their  desire 
to  enjoy  instruction  out  of  the  word  of  God, 
along  with  the  rest.  He  therefore  determined 
to  serve  this  congregation  also,  as  much  as 
possible,  during  the  week  appointed  for  Phila- 
delphia, and  to  preach  there  at  least  once,  in 

4* 


42         REPORTS  .FROM  LUTHERAN 

the  hope  that  when  God  would  grant  more 
assistants,  Germantown  might  be  united  with 
Philadelphia,  and  New  Hanover  and  Provi- 
dence be  served  by  the  other  preacher. 

§  21.  In  each  place  he  directed  his  first  care 
to  teaching  the  nearly  grown-up  youths,  as  a 
number  of  them,  who  were  in  part  eighteen, 
nineteen,  and  twenty  years  old,  had  made  ap- 
plication for  instruction.  Although  they  had 
as  yet  made  no  beginning,  as  little  in  reading 
and  writing  as  in  the  knowledge  of  God,  yet 
they  made  him  glad  by  their  desire  to  learn 
something.  But  there  were  yet  older  persons 
present  whom  he  had  to  teach  the  first  prin- 
ciples of  Christianity.  On  the  ioth  of  Janu- 
ary, 1743,  a  widow  in  New  Hanover  brought 
her  daughter  to  him,  twenty-two  or  twenty- 
three  years  old,  and  who  since  her  seventh 
year  had  been  among  the  English  Quakers, 
and  who  not  only  was  wholly  ignorant  of 
.Christian  doctrine,  but  had  also  lost  the  Ger- 
man language.  She  had  therefore  to  be  taught 
in  English,  and  so  fully  comprehended  the  in- 
struction that  on  the  6th  of  February  she  was 
able  to  make  her  confession  of  faith  in  the 
English  language,  publicly  before  the  congre- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  43 

gation,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Holy  Supper. 
The  congregation  was  much  moved  on  this 
occasion.  On  the  6th  of  June,  1743,  he  reports 
the  following :  "  I  have  had  to  teach  from  neces- 
sity. One  week  I  teach  school  in  Philadelphia, 
the  next  in  Providence,  and  the  third  in  New 
Hanover,  solely  to  prepare  the  adult,  neglected 
people  for  confirmation  and  the  Holy  Supper, 
and  also  in  part  for  holy  baptism.  In  Provi- 
dence I  have  already  prepared  twenty,  con- 
firmed them,  and  admitted  them  to  the  Holy 
Supper  for  the  first  time.  Among  these  were 
some  already  married  people.  In  New  Han- 
over I  also  prepared  and  confirmed  twenty  per- 
sons, in  part  from  twenty-four  to  twenty-five 
years  old.  In  Philadelphia  I  still  as  yet  have 
a  small  number  in  a  state  of  preparation,  who 
for  the  most  part  are  not  advanced.  On  Whit- 
Sunday  we  had  preaching  in  New  Hanover. 
There  were  so  many  that  they  crowded  each 
other.  After  the  sermon  I  baptized  eleven 
children  in  the  presence  of  the  congregation, 
and  also  a  married  woman,  who  had  been  pre- 
pared for  it  for  some  time.  The  woman  was 
of  Mennonite  and  Anabaptist  parentage,  and 
had    during    the    time    attained    a    fine  living 


44  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

knowledge.  On  Whit-Monday  we  had  preach- 
ing and  the  Holy  Supper  in  Providence,  with 
a  large  congregation.  Six  adults,  who  were  in 
part  married  persons,  were  confirmed ;  two 
youths  and  two  children  were  baptized."  On 
the  1st  of  July,  1743,  he  announces  that  one 
of  the  Anabaptists  was  instructed  by  him,  and 
afterwards  publicly  examined  before  the  con- 
gregation, and  admitted  to  the  Holy  Supper. 
On  the  25th  of  November,  1743,  he  gives  the 
following  notice:  "I  baptized  a  mother  with 
five  adult  children,  in  the  Germantown  congre- 
gation. They  were  so  moved,  that  they  might 
almost  have  been  baptized  with  their  tears.  I 
also  baptized  a  married  man  at  that  place. 
The  baptized  stand,  by  the  grace  of  God,  in  a 
beautiful  growth  and  bloom." 

§  22.  From  the  few  particulars  reported,  it  is 
easily  understood  in  what  a  ruinous  condition 
and  great  ignorance  pastor  Muhlenberg  found 
these  congregations.  They  had  been  without 
any  instruction  from  the  word  of  God ;  the 
youth  had  grown  up  without  being  taught,  and 
even  adults  and  married  persons,  who  them- 
selves already  had  a  number  of  children,  had 
yet  to  be  baptized.     He  writes  in  his  diary  on 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  45 

the  5th  of  January,  1743,  of  the  condition  of 
the  congregations  :  "  It  seems  as  if  now  were 
the  time  in  which  God  would  visit  us  in  Penn- 
sylvania with  his  special  grace.  It  is  indeed 
high  time.  If  it  had  remained  thus  for  a  few 
years  more,  our  poor  Lutherans  would  have 
been  wholly  scattered,  and  gone  into  heathenism. 
There  are  some  who  are  not  baptized  who  are 
married,  have  children  who  are  also  without 
baptism,  and  with  it  are  countless  sects,  opin- 
ions and  allurements."  After  mentioning  the 
different  religious  sects  which  have  churches 
and  meeting-houses  in  Philadelphia,  he  con- 
tinues to  describe,  to  the  aforesaid  theologian, 
the  condition  of  the  country:  "There  are  not 
wanting  atheists,  deists,  naturalists,  and  free 
masons.  In  short,  there  is  not  a  sect  in  the 
world  which  is  not  cherished  here.  There 
are  people  here  of  almost  every  nationality. 
Whatsoever  is  not  tolerated  in  Europe  finds  a 
place  here.  The  most  scandalous  things  are 
heard  freely  and  publicly  spoken  against  God 
and  his  holy  word.  In  the  whole  land  there 
are  many  thousands  who,  according  to  their 
baptism,  education  and  confirmation,  should 
be  Lutherans,  but  they  are   in  part  scattered. 


4-6  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

There  is  such  a  pitiable  condition  and  ruin 
among  our  poor  Lutheran  people,  that  it  cannot 
be  sufficiently  wept  for  with  tears  of  blood. 
The  youth  grew  up,  and  the  parents  have  pel  - 
mitted  their  children  in  part  to  grow  up  with- 
out baptism,  without  instruction  and  knowl- 
edge, and  go  into  heathenism.  So  I  found  it, 
when  I  arrived  in  Philadelphia."  He  likewise 
wrote  in  another  letter,  dated  September  22d: 
"  The  great  mass  remains  uncultivated,  and 
it  is  easily  imagined  that  the  disorder  and 
confusion,  which  crept  in  during  thirty  years, 
could  not  be  abolished  in  one  year."  To  say 
anything  more  in  this  place  concerning  the 
lamentable  condition  of  these  congregations,  in 
reference  to  the  knowledge  and  worship  of 
God,  on  the  arrival  of  pastor  Muhlenberg, 
would  be  superfluous,  as  it  is  readily  imagined 
by  every  one. 

§  23.  Although  a  single  laborer  seemed  in- 
sufficient to  restore  to  order,  in  some  measure, 
not  only  one  but  more  such  desolated  congre- 
gations, and  also  to  accomplish  only  some 
good,  yet  pastor  Muhlenberg  did  not  suffer 
himself  to  be  deterred,  but  sought,  by  divine 
assistance,  to    do    his    part    according   to    his 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  47 

ability,  and  according  to  the  before-mentioned 
arrangement  to  exercise  his  office  in  all  hon- 
esty and  untiring  industry,  until  it  might  please 
the  Lord  to  give  him  some  help.  God  also 
did  not  permit  his  endeavor  to  be  without  any 
blessing,  inasmuch  as  the  hearts  of  the  hearers 
were  turned  to  him  to  receive  the  instruction 
the  more  eagerly  and  attentively.  Many  also 
who  were  either  scattered  among  other  sects  or 
hitherto  separated  themselves  from  the  worship 
of  God  only  for  this  reason,  because  they 
would  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  uncalled 
preachers,  returned  again,  and  now  for  the 
future  could  enjoy  the  instruction  from  the 
word  of  God  with  the  more  blessing.  As  may 
also  be  seen  from  the  preceding,  the  instruc- 
tion was  not  without  a  blessing  to  adults  and 
children.  Among  others,  he  makes  mention 
of  an  aged  woman  of  ninety  years,  in  the  con- 
gregation at  New  Hanover,  that  she  in  her 
preparation  for  the  Holy  Supper  made  him  very 
glad  with  believing  and  edifying  conversation. 
In  various  letters  he  reports  that  anxiously  as 
things  were  progressing  in  his  office,  and  cor- 
rupt as  the  congregations  had  been,  the  Lord 
still  granted  some  blessing  here  and  there  ;  the 


48  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

word  did  not'  return  again  altogether  empty. 
His  only  regret  was,  that  from  the  want  of 
some  fellow  laborers  he  could  only  work 
upon  the  whole  mass,  and  not  sufficiently  look 
to  the  special  care  of  souls.  On  the  25th  of 
November  he  writes :  "  In  the  Germantown 
congregation,  the  Lord  gave  some  blessing; 
among  others,  the  gospel  won  an  old,  gray- 
headed  man,  who  had  been  one  of  Dippel's 
adherents,  and  brought  him  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  sufficient  atonement  of  Christ.  He 
afterwards  died  happy,  and  his  end  was  edify- 
ing." He  hopes  when  he  receives  assistants, 
and  the  work  through  the  word  of  God  in  the 
congregations  be  constantly  persevered  in,  there 
might,  with  the  help  of  God,  a  true  improve- 
ment be  effected,  and  the  Lord  manifest  a 
greater  blessing. 

§  24.  As  the  divided  and  scattered  Lutherans 
by  this  time  began  to  gather  again,  and  in 
Philadelphia  the  hired  meeting-house  had  be- 
come too  small  and  unserviceable,  and  the 
Swedish  congregation  could  spare  their  church 
for  the  use  of  the  Germans  no  longer  than  un- 
til the  arrival  of  their  new  preacher,  who  was 
then  still  expected;  and  in  Providence  also  the 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  49 

worship  of  God  had  hitherto  to  be  held  in  a 
barn,  not  without  great  inconvenience,  in  which 
there  was  not  even  room  enough,  by  reason  of 
the  increase  of  the  congregation;  thus  the 
highest  necessity  seemed  to  require  that  they 
should  think  of  building  churches  of  their  own 
in  both  places. 

§  25.  In  Providence  there  were  fewer  diffi- 
culties than  in  Philadelphia,  because  the  con- 
gregation in  that  place  is  less  numerous,  and 
therefore  the  church  would  cost  less.  Con- 
cerning the  building  of  which  pastor  Muhlen- 
berg reports,  under  date  January  5th,  1743,  as 
follows  :  "  On  Wednesday,  the  5th  of  January, 
we  celebrated  Epiphany  in  Providence,  and  I 
again  preached  for  the  congregation  in  the 
barn.  The  people  of  this  congregation  are  at- 
tentive and  eager  to  hear  the  Word.  The  dear 
wardens  of  this  congregation  have  resolved  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  to  begin  building  a 
church.  I  have  already  twice  published  it  to 
the  congregation,  and  encouraged  them  to 
prayer  and  trust  in  God.  A  church  is  very 
much  needed  by  us.  For  this  purpose  I  wrote  a 
letter,  and  permitted  the  wardens  to  go  around 
with  it  in  the  congregation,  and  note  that  which 


50  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

each  member  would  contribute  from  a  willing 
heart.  We  have  here,  thank  God,  no  want  of 
meat  and  drink ;  but  money  is  scarce,  because 
the  country  people  must  carry  their  produce 
to  the  city,  and  receive  very  little  for  it.  It  is 
not  well  to  build  with  timber  here,  because  it 
speedily  decays,  and  to  build  with  stone  is  ex- 
pensive. I  have  added  a  draught  of  a  stone 
church.  According  to  the  design  it  may  easily 
reach  two  hundred  pound  sterling.  God  has 
remarkably  stirred  their  hearts  and  made  them 
zealous  to  build,  for  after  we  had  visited  the 
whole  congregation,  nearly  one  hundred  pounds 
of  our  money  was  subscribed.  One  pound 
sterling  makes  one  pound  and  a  half  of  our 
money.  The  congregation  indeed  exerted  it- 
self to  the  utmost,  as  every  one  admits.  Now, 
Reverend  Sir,  whatever  of  the  remaining  col- 
lected moneys  are  in  your  hands  as  their  third 
part,  we  expect  to  apply  with  what  we  have. 
But  where  is  the  rest  to  come  from  ?  May 
the  merciful  God  awaken  hearts  in  Europe  to 
come  to  our  help  !  The  members  of  the  congre- 
gation are  so  united  (they  are  already  hauling 
stone  to  the  place),  that  I  am  delighted.  We 
have  also  already  built  a  wooden  school-house. 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  5  I 

In  this  township  there  is  an  English  church 
and  a  Mennonite  meeting-house,  but  there 
never  was  as  yet  a  Lutheran  church,  and  now 
the  first  is  to  be  built.  The  masons  wish  to 
begin  work  on  the  1st  of  May."  He  then  no- 
tices the  following  in  a  letter  of  the  6th  of 
June,  1743:  "On  the  2d  of  May  we  laid  the 
corner-stone  of  the  first  Lutheran  church  in 
Providence.  A  very  great  multitude  of  people 
was  present,  both  English  and  German.  We 
first  sang  the  hymn,  '  Befiehl  du  deine  Wege,' 
etc.  Afterwards  I  delivered  a  German  dis- 
course on  Zech.  xiv.  7.  After  its  conclusion  I 
also  preached  in  the  English  language.  By 
the  help  of  God,  the  masons  had  already 
raised  the  wall  to  a  considerable  extent  in  the 
beginning  of  June.  Here  many  difficulties 
must  also  be  passed."  In  another  letter  of  the 
22d  of  September,  1743,  this  is  likewise  re- 
ported :  "On  the  31st  of  August  we  placed 
the  roof  on  the  new  church  in  Providence,  and 
on  the  1 2th  of  September  we  left  our  barn  and 
for  the  first  time  had  divine  service  in  the  new 
church.  It  is  not  as  yet  completed,  but  we 
shall  not  consecrate  it  until  it  is  entirely  fin- 
ished.    Meanwhile  the   congregation   in    New 


52         REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

Hanover,  where  there  was  already  a  wooden, 
but  still  unfinished  church,  built  a  school-house, 
which  by  the  help  of  God  was  erected  on  the 
ist  of  September. 

§  26.  In  Philadelphia,  however,  there  vwere 
many  more  hindrances  to  be  overcome,  inas- 
much as  the  numerous  Lutheran  congregation 
in  this  extensive  city  not  only  required  a  larger 
and  consequently  more  expensive  church,  but 
the  sites  in  this  city  had  become  scarce,  ^nd 
many  evil-minded  persons  sought  to  place  dif- 
ficulties in  the  way.  Nevertheless,  God  also 
helped  in  this  case  to  overcome  all  opposition, 
as  may  be  seen  in  the  following  report  of  pastor 
Muhlenberg.  Among  other  things,  he  writes 
in  his  diary:  "Tuesday,  January  the  18th,  1743. 
Thirty  or  twenty  years  ago,  a  place  for  a  church 
and  churchyard  could  have  been  obtained  in 
the  city  for  a  small  sum  of  money.  Now  there 
are  scarcely  any  locations  more  to  purchase,  or 
if  there  were  one  as  large  as  a  small  field  that 
could  be  bought,  according  as  it  is  in  the  city, 
they  may  ask  four,  five  to  six  hundred  pounds. 
A  location  could  more  readily  be  obtained  by 
paying  ground-rent,  but  they  ask,  per  foot,  two 
and  a  half,  three,  and  also  four  shillings  ster- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  53 

ling,  annually.  In  this  manner  we  would  have 
to  pay  yearly  for  an  indifferent  church  location, 
ten  or  twelve  or  more  pounds  sterling.  And 
yet  the  purchasable,  as  well  as  the  ground-rent 
sites,  are  becoming  dearer  every  day,  and  the 
Lutherans  increasing  every  year.  The  longer, 
therefore,  the  building  of  a  church  is  deferred, 
the  more  difficult  and  impossible  it  becomes. 
We  resolved,  therefore,  to  place  these  circum- 
stances before  the  congregation.  I  made  a 
note  of  several  points.  On  Sunday,  the  23d 
of  January,  after  the  sermon,  I  read  to  the  con- 
gregation that  which  I  had  written  concerning 
the  building  of  a  church,  and  said  whoever 
would  contribute  something  to  this  object 
should  remain  in  the  church,  and  have  his 
name  recorded.  The  most  remained  and  sub- 
scribed what  they  would  give,  and  God  blessed 
the  beginning,  so  that  one  hundred  and  twenty 
pounds  of  our  money  was  subscribed.  I  made 
agreement  with  the  church  wardens,  that  they 
might,  in  the  name  of  God,  look  around  for  a 
church  location.  February  18th,  1743.  Our 
wardens  have  again  exerted  themselves  to  the 
utmost  with  reference  to  a  site  for  a  church, 
but  failed  in  obtaining  one.     I  presented  the 


54  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

matter  to  the  All-wise  God  in  prayer.  If  it  is 
his  will  that  we  should  have  a  church  here, 
then  he  will  also  show  us  a  place.  Saturday, 
the  1 2th  of  March.  The  wardens  of  Philadel- 
phia related  to  me,  with  inward  joy,  that  they 
were  contracting  for  a  church  site,  which  would 
cost  nearly  two  hundred  pounds.  It  is  much 
better  to  purchase  a  place  than  to  pay  ground- 
rent.  But  we  have  enemies  who  gladly  cast 
stones  in  our  way.  It  is  still  uncertain  whether 
we  shall  get  the  location  or  not.  Our  people 
are  very  eager  to  build  a  church,  and  have 
subscribed  so  much  that  we  may  have  over 
two  hundred  pounds  of  our  money.  If  we 
fail  in  church  building,  we  shall  scarcely  suc- 
ceed with  the  Lutheran  congregation.  If  the 
Lord  does  not  build  the  house,  we  cannot." 

§  27.  The  preliminaries  to  the  building  of  a 
new  church  in  Philadelphia  had  at  this  time 
progressed  thus  far.  The  actual  beginning  of 
the  same  he  reports  in  a  letter  of  the  6th  of 
June,  wherein  he  notices,  among  other  things, 
the  following :  "  In  the  week  before  Easter, 
the  gracious  God  granted  us  a  location  for  a 
church  in  the  centre  of  the  city.  The  site  is 
excellent,  and  affords  also  at  the  same  time  a 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  55 

churchyard.  It  costs  one  hundred  and  some 
pounds  sterling,  and  we  could  immediately 
obtain  twenty  pounds  more,  if  we  desired  to 
sell  the  place  again.  We  are  and  will  be  more 
and  more  necessitated  to  begin  building  a 
church  in  Philadelphia,  in  reliance  upon  the 
living  God.  If  this  is  not  done,  the  little  com- 
pany of  Lutherans  will  gradually  fail.  On  the 
5th  of  April,  we,  in  the  name  of  God,  laid  the 
corner-stone  of  the  first  German  Lutheran 
church  in  Philadelphia.  The  Swedish  preacher 
from  another  place,  who  during  the  present 
vacancy  in  the  Swedish  church  occasionally 
conducts  the  public  service,  was  present.  The 
English  preacher  also  desired  to  be  with  us, 
but  a  case  of  necessity  occurred,  so  that  he 
was  obliged  to  take  a  journey  into  the  country. 
There  were  very  many  people  present,  enemies 
as  well  as  friends.  When  we  were  once 
necessitated  to  build,  we  had  also  to  care  for 
our  descendants.  We  therefore  adopted  a 
proper  size ;  70  feet  in  length,  45  in  breadth, 
and  27  in  height,  without  the  arch  of  9  feet. 
We  also  erected  a  steeple  for  a  pair  of  bells. 
At  the  lowest,  the  building  is  estimated  at 
eight  hundred  pounds  sterling.     We  rely  upon 


$6  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

the  living  God.  Building  is  a  heavy  burden, 
especially  if  you  are  poor  and  have  so  many 
enemies.  Notwithstanding  the  many  obstacles, 
the  gracious  God  has  already  helped  us  so  far 
that  the  masons  have  nearly  finished  one  story, 
in  the  beginning  of  June."  He  further  writes, 
on  the  1st  of  July:  "  In  Philadelphia  the  masons 
expect  to  finish  the  wall  within  four  weeks. 
The  hand  of  God  is  in  it.  We  did  not  begin 
the  work  through  temerity,  but  from  pressing 
necessity.  According  to  the  English  and  the 
laws  of  this  country,  no  sect  or  religion  was 
permitted  to  build  a  church,  except  those  be- 
longing to  the  English  church,  and  besides 
these,  the  Lutherans.  Whilst  then  we  were 
permitted  to  build  a  church,  so  had  we  also  to 
erect  a  steeple  for  bells,  85  feet  in  height. 
Those  who  envied  us  expected  that  we  should 
soon  get  into  prison  and  be  disgraced,  if  we 
could  not  pay."  In  another  letter,  he  further 
writes:  "The  estimate  of  the  cost  most  accur- 
ately made  is  5,500  Rix  dollars  according  to 
German  money.  In  such  a  public  building 
the  English  workingmen  will  not  do  anything 
until  some  one  obligates  himself  to  pay,  either 
verbally  or  by  writing.     Accordingly,  four  of 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  57 

our  church-wardens  agreed,  and  obligated 
themselves  for  the  building.  The  men  indeed 
are  not  very  rich,  but  they  are  true-hearted,  and 
venture  it  upon  God's  credit.  Our  Lutheran 
companions  in  the  faith,  in  a  new  town  called 
Lancaster,  sixty  miles  from  Philadelphia,  pre- 
sented us  with  100  Rix  dollars  according  to 
German  money." 

§  28.  Finally  pastor  Muhlenberg  reports  the 
completion  of  the  exterior  of  the  building,  in 
his  last  letter  of  the  25  th  of  November,  in  the 
following  words  :  "Amid  these  troubles  the 
gracious  God  prospered  the  Philadelphia  church 
so  far,  that  it  is  under  roof  and  the  steeple  is 
erected.  The  gracious  God  has  ordered  it 
even  so.  As  the  Swedes  have  received  their 
own  preacher,  they  need  their  church  them- 
selves and  cannot  accommodate  us,  because  the 
days  are  too  short.  We  have  indeed  as  yet 
no  windows  in  our  church,  and  the  scaffolding 
as  yet  stands  on  the  inside;  but  we  have  in  the 
meanwhile  closed  the  twenty-eight  windows 
and  the  three  doors  with  boards,  and  to  my  in- 
ward comfort  and  that  of  many  others,  held 
divine  service  in  it  for  the  first  time  on  the  20th 
of  October,  as  the   twenty-fifth    Sunday   after 


58  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

Trinity.  Oh  God !  what  a  favor  this  in  a  land 
so  strange  and  wild  !  Our  opponents  have  still 
ever  hoped,  that  the  four  men  who  had  under- 
taken and  were  responsible  for  the  building, 
would  get  into  prison  on  account  of  the  debts, 
before  the  church  was  so  far  finished.  On  this 
Lord's  day  we  again  sang  the  beautiful  hymn, 
"  Befiehl  du  deine  Wege,"  etc.  Instead  of  the 
epistle,  I  read  from  the  fourth  chapter  of  the  first 
book  of  Maccabees  from  the  36th  verse  to  the 
end  of  the  chapter.  Afterwards  I  explained  the 
prayer  of  Solomon,  first  Kings,  eighth  chapter, 
22d  verse,  etc."  This  two-fold  church-building 
in  Philadelphia  and  Providence  is  that  to  which 
was  applied  whatever  remained  of  the  collections 
received  and  already  actually  transmitted  to 
Pennsylvania  for  this  purpose,  after  deducting 
the  traveling  expenses  of  pastor  Muhlenberg, 
and  that  which  would  yet  be  required  for  the 
mission  of  several  new  laborers.  It  is,  how- 
ever, easily  perceived  that  this  was  far  from  suf- 
ficient to  defray  the  expenses  of  this  extensive 
building  of  churches,  especially,  also,  as  a  con- 
siderable sum  was  yet  required  for  doors  and 
windows,  and  whatever  else  is  necessary  in  the 
interior  of  a  church.     But  we  have  trust  in  the 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  59 

gracious  God  that  he  will  also  provide  for  the 
remaining  need." 

§  29.  As  pastor  Muhlenberg  in  all  his  letters 
set  forth  the  necessity  of  sending  him  several 
assistants  both  for  church  and  schools,  the 
congregations  also,  through  him,  earnestly 
making  entreaty  for  the  same,  so  God  also 
herein  graciously  heard  the  prayer  of  his  ser- 
vants and  children.  He  ordered  it,  that  a  suit- 
able candidate  of  theology,  Mr.  Peter  Brunn- 
holtz,  born  in  Niibul,  a  village  of  the  principal- 
ity of  Gliicksburg  in  the  dukedom  of  Schles* 
wig,  was  proposed  thereto,  by  the  consent  of  all 
those  who  were  acquainted  with  the  state  of 
things  in  Pennsylvania,  and  with  his  gifts  and 
faithfulness.  He  had  not  only  laid  a  good 
foundation  in  theological  knowledge,  but  had 
also  hitherto  sought  to  keep  the  mystery  of 
faith  in  a  pure  conscience.  After  his  univer- 
sity years  he  had  given  proof,  on  the  estates 
of  a  certain  Christian  nobleman,  of  his  faith- 
fulness and  gifts  in  public  preaching  of  the 
word  of  God  and  in  intercourse  with  souls. 
After  he  had  examined  what  was  the  will  of 
God,  he  was  also  willing  to  accept  the  call, 
given  him   through  Dr.  and   Prof.  Franke,  of 


60  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

the  Pennsylvania  congregation,  whereupon  he 
was  examined  by  the  most  noble  Stolberg 
Consistorium  at  Wernigeroda,  and  on  the  12th. 
of  April,  1744,  he  was  ordained  in  the  palace 
chapel  of  that  place,  and  then  continued  his 
journey  to  Hamburg  via  Hanover.  There 
were  also  two  other  blameless  students  of  the- 
ology found,  not  far  from  Giessen — Messrs 
Schaum  and  Kurtz — who  were  accepted  as 
chanters,  and  followed  him  to  Hamburg,  and 
already,  on  the  1st  of  July  last,  began  their 
voyage  to  Pennsylvania  by  way  of  England. 

§  30.  As  divine  Providence  was  again  clearly 
perceived,  as  well  in  the  election  and  calling  of 
these  new  assistants,  as  in  their  departure  also, 
so  there  was  no  reason  to  doubt  that  it  was  the 
gracious  purpose  of  God,  who  commanded  the 
light  to  shine  out  of  the  darkness,  to  let  his 
light  shine  ever  more  clearly  for  the  congrega- 
tions of  Pennsylvania,  that  among  them  also, 
through  the  teachers  granted  to  them,  might 
arise  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of 
God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.  When  the 
entrance  of  pastor  Muhlenberg  and  the  present 
mission  of  these  new  assistants  became  known 
in  some  places,  God  raised  up  so  many  bene- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  6f 

factors,  who  sent  in  so  much,  that  not  only  the 
voyage  to  England  of  the  latter  was  paid  for, 
but  forty  pounds  sterling  remained  over.  Be- 
sides the  547  Rix  dollars,  from  another  Christian 
patroness  of  distinction,  who  has  interested  her- 
self in  this  work  with  extraordinary  zeal,  which 
were  already  transmitted  to  England  for  their 
benefit,  may  likewise  be  so  used,  that  should 
the  sum  retained  from  the  former  collections  be 
insufficient  for  the  further  voyage  to  Pennsyl- 
vania of  the  new  assistants,  it  should  be  fully 
paid  herefrom,  but  the  residue  be  applied  to 
the  before-mentioned  church-building.  For 
these  benefactions  we  hereby  publicly  and 
again  heartily  thank  all  the  high  patrons  and 
most  worthy  friends,  and  humbly  call  upon 
God  for  their  temporal  and  eternal  recompense. 
We  also  have  this  reliance  upon  him,  that  ac- 
cording to  his  heart-controlling  power  he  will 
raise  up  more  benefactors,  and  advance  this  new 
rising  blessing  by  their  kind  and  voluntary 
help.  But  whoever  has  at  heart  the  extension 
of  the  kingdom,  of  God  and  the  salvation  of 
souls,  will  also  be  awakened  by  this  brief 
notice  to  humbly  praise  God  for  his  help  al- 
ready  shown,    and    further  call   upon   him  in 


62  REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN  CONGREGATIONS. 

childlike  prayer,  for  his  aid  on  the  voyage  of 
the  just-mentioned  other  preacher  and  the  two 
chanters,  as  also  for  his  further  blessing  on  the 
exercise  of  their  office  of  all  the  laborers.  But 
God,  who  can  do  exceedingly  more  than  all  we 
ask  or  understand,  conduct  these  new  helpers 
upon  their  voyage,  and  bring  them  under  his 
protection  through  every  danger  in  blessing  to 
their  place !  Through  their  labors,  may  he  also 
rescue  many  souls  out  of  the  kingdom  of  dark- 
ness, and  translate  them  into  the  kingdom  of 
his  dear  Son,  to  the  glory  of  his  name.  Amen, 
So  may  it  be." 


CHAPTER    II. 

A  CONTINUATION  OF  THE  SHORT  REPORT  OF 
SEVERAL  EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CONGRE- 
GATIONS   IN    AMERICA. 

During  the  past  year  a  short  report  of  sev- 
eral Evangelical  congregations  in  America 
was  issued  from  the  press,  from  which,  among 
other  things,  is  seen  in  what  manner  the  Ger- 
man Evangelical  congregations  in  Philadelphia, 
New  Hanover  and  Providence,  in  the  province 
of  Pennsylvania,  occasionally,  for  a  number  of 
years,  besought  Dr.  and  Prof.  Franke  in  Halle, 
and  the  royal  court  preacher  of  Great  Britain 
in  London,  Frederick  Michael  Ziegenhagen, 
that  a  regular  preacher  be  sent  them.  It  also 
appears  therein,  that  after  the  removal  of  sev- 
eral difficulties,  Mr.  Henry  Melchior  Muhlen- 
berg was  sent  thither  in  fulfillment  of  this 
desire,  and  how  he  also,  after  his  safe  arrival  in 
Philadelphia,  November  25th,  1742,  was  re- 
ceived by  the  said  three  congregations,  to 
(63) 


64         REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

which  Germantown  was  added,  with  great  ea- 
eerness  and  love.  It  is  likewise  noticed  in  the 
same  short  report,  when  the  work  could  not  be 
accomplished  by  one  preacher  alone,  how  he, 
together  with  said  congregations,  anew  ear- 
nestly entreated  that  more  assistants  in  church 
and  schools  might  be  sent  him,  and  how  there- 
upon, Mr.  Peter  Brunnholtz  as  second  preacher, 
and  two  assistants  or  catechists,  Messrs. 
Schaum  and  Kurtz,  after  having  accepted  the 
call,  began  their  voyage  from  Hamburg  to 
England  and  Pennsylvania  on  the  1st  of  July, 
1744.  Nothing  the  less  is  it  known  from  the 
same  source,  that  the  formerly-remitted  kind 
favors  from  benevolent  hearts,  for  these  con- 
gregations, were  applied  as  well  to  defray  the 
expenses  of  the  voyage  of  all  the  "laborers,  as  for 
the  necessitated  building  of  churches  in  Phila- 
delphia and  Providence,  although  not  as  yet  fully 
sufficient  for  this  purpose.  The  kind  reader  will 
also  remember  from  the  same  short  report, 
what  a  blessed  reception,  notwithstanding  all 
obstacles,  pastor  Muhlenberg  had  in  these  con- 
gregations, after  they  had  been  so  long  a  time 
without  regular  teachers,  so  that  the  old  and 
the   young,  with    great    eagerness,  permitted 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  65 

themselves  to  be  instructed  out  of  the  word  of 
God.  Parents  with  their  children,  or  other 
aged  people,  received  holy  baptism  ;  and  besides 
these,  also  other  adults,  and  in  part  married 
persons,  were  prepared  for  their  first  commun- 
ion. Altogether  the  attention,  the  eagerness 
and  obedience  with  which  such  people  received 
instruction  from  the  word  of  God,  awakened  an 
inward  joy  in  pastor  Muhlenberg,  and  made  his 
heavy  labor  sweet. 

§  2.  As  it  has  frequently  been  asked,  whether 
any  news  had  as  yet  come  from  said  pastor 
Brunnholtz  and  his  companion's  arrival  in  Penn- 
sylvania, and  whether  the  blessing  which 
the  Lord  began  to  give  to  the  publication 
of  the  Word  still  continued,  we  could  not 
refuse  to  make  known  hereby,  to  the  joy  of 
all  patrons,  friends  and  benefactors,  who  heart- 
ily desire  the  extension  of  the  kingdom  of  God 
generally,  and  also  in  this  region,  and  in  part 
advanced  by  their  kind  contributions,  that  such 
news,  after  some  delay,  was  recently  received. 
On  the  22d  of  May,  of  this  year,  the  long-ex- 
pected letters  arrived  from  Philadelphia,  from 
pastor  Muhlenberg,  and  from  pastor  Brunnholtz 
himself,  to  the  court  preacher  Ziegenhagen  and 
6*  '    E 


66  .     REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

Dr.  and  Prof.  Franke,  in  Halle.  They  were 
written  in  March  of  the  present  year,  and  con- 
tain :  I ,  The  safe  arrival  of  the  new  laborers  ; 
2,  of  many  trials  pastor  Muhlenberg  had  to 
endure  until  then ;  3,  of  the  continuance  of 
the  blessing  of  the  Word,  and  4,  of  church 
building — many  memorable  things,  of  which, 
briefly,  the  most  necessary  and  important  are 
hereby  communicated,  to  the  praise  of  God. 

§  3.  As  respects  the  first  item,  viz.,  the  safe 
arrival  of  the  new  laborers,  every  one  who  re- 
members from  the  former  short  report,  what 
an  extensive,  and  on  account  of  much  travel- 
ing, very  difficult  work,  pastor  Muhlenberg 
found  in  the  aforesaid  four  congregations,  and 
how  faithfully  he  assumed  the  whole — without 
respect  to  his  ease — may  easily  imagine  with 
what  lonsring  desire  he  looked  for  the  arrival  of 
additional  laborers  and  assistants.  All  diligence 
was  also  used,  to  hasten  to  the  utmost  the 
mission  of  such  fellow-laborers,  because  it  was 
well  understood,  how  necessary  it  was  to  come 
to  his  help,  lest  he  should  in  the  meantime 
succumb  to  the  work.  These  last  also  were 
not  wanting  in  the  desire  to  be  in  America 
speedily,  that  they  might  offer  their  hand   to 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  6/ 

pastor  Muhlenberg.  But  they  must  needs  also 
learn  to  surrender  this  their  good  impulse  and 
desire  to  the  will  of  the  all-wise  God.  In 
their  voyage  from  Hamburg  to  England,  they 
were  detained  three  weeks  by  contrary  winds. 
In  England  they  had  to  wait  a  considerable 
time  for  the  departure  of  vessels.  Also  after 
they  had  embarked  at  Gravesend,  September 
22d,  1744,  on  a  ship  bound  for  Pennsylvania, 
they  were  again  detained  more  than  nine 
weeks  in  the  English  harbor,  until  they  could 
go  to  sea  on  the  29th  of  November,  under  pro- 
tection of  the  fleet  of  Admiral  Davers. 

§  4.  Concerning  their  voyage  and  arrival  in 
Pennsylvania,  it  is  furthermore  stated,  that  on 
the  third  day  the  said  fleet  was  separated  from 
them  by  a  violent  storm,  with  the  exception  of 
one  man-of-war,  which  convoyed  them  through 
the  Spanish  sea,  to  Cape  Finisterre,  where  they 
left  it  on  the  9th  of  December ;  and  after  they 
had  eleven  days  of  fair,  but  after  that  four  weeks 
of  contrary  winds  for  the  most  part,  and  occa- 
sionally such  violent  storms  that  they  had  to 
fasten  the  rudder,  they  arrived  safely  at  Phila- 
delphia, on  the  26th  of  January,  1745.  During 
the  entire  voyage  they  had  not  seen  a  hostile 


68  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

ship,  and  were  perfectly  well  on  their  arrival. 
When  they  had  landed  and  were  about  going 
to  the  city,  a  German  approached  them  out  of 
the  forest,  and  when  he  observed  that  they 
were  strangers  from  the  vessel  which  had  just 
arrived,  he  asked  them  whether  no  evangelical 
preachers  came  along  with  it  ?  After  they  had 
made  themselves  known  to  him,  he  with  great 
joy  brought  them  to  a  German  merchant  in 
the  city,  by  whom,  as  well  as  by  the  wardens, 
and  other  members  of  the  congregation,  who 
came  together  on  the  report  of  their  arrival, 
they  were  received  and  welcomed  with  much 
gladness.  All  heartily  praised  God  for  their 
safe  arrival,  as  he  before  had  been  called  upon 
publicly  and  specially,  for  his  protection  and 
help  on  their  voyage.  But  pastor  Muhlenberg, 
who  was  in  his  country  congregations,  was 
forthwith  cheered  with  the  pleasant  tidings  by 
a  messenger. 

§  5.  Now,  after  his  immediate  return  to  Phil- 
adelphia, Mr.  Brunnholtz  preached  on  the  fol- 
lowing Sunday,  for  the  congregation  of  this 
place,  and  was  recognized  and  accepted  as 
their  teacher  and  second  preacher.  His  call 
also,  drawn  up  in  their  name,  was  undersigned 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  69 

and  ratified  by  the  wardens  and  all  the  mem- 
bers. The  same  was  likewise  done  in  German- 
town  on  the  5th  of  February;  on  the  7th  of 
the  same  month,  as  the  next  Sunday,  at  Prov- 
idence ;  and  on  the  9th  of  the  same,  at  New 
Hanover  also.  He  was  presented  to  all  the 
four  congregations  for  this  purpose,  that  he, 
with  pastor  Muhlenberg,  might  at  first  do  the 
work  in  the  same  in  common,  alternating  in 
it,  and  also,  when  they  had  afterwards  regu- 
larly divided  the  work,  according  to  the  clearly 
recognized  will  of  God,  they  could  the  better 
assist  each  other,  and  both  work  together  for 
the  same  object  in  all  the  congregations.  After 
earnest  prayer  to  God,  and  mature  considera- 
tion of  all  the  circumstances,  they  had  already 
made  the  arrangement  with  reference  to  the 
two  assistants  or  catechists :  Mr.  Kurtz  was 
assigned  to  the  newly-built  school-house  in 
New  Hanover,  but  Mr.  Schaum  remained  in 
Philadelphia ;  and  both  had  commenced  to 
teach  school,  in  which,  also,  old  people  were 
present,  who  were  not  ashamed  to  sit  among 
the  little  children  and  learn  their  letters.  As 
for  the  rest,  the  congregations  acknowledged 
the  benefit  which  they  had  received,  through 


JO  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

the  newly  sent  laborers,  in  church  and  schools, 
with  hearty  thanks  to  God  and  the  instruments 
he  had  hereunto  employed. 

§  6.  Besides,  pastor  Brunnholtz  mentions 
particularly  that  said  congregations  cherished 
a  special  love  and  esteem  for  pastor  Muhlen- 
berg, after  they  observed  a  different  spirit  in 
him  than  was  found  in  those  who  assumed  to 
be  teachers  without  a  regular  call.  He  also 
exercised  his  office  with  much  industry,  labor, 
and  care,  and  in  all  uprightness,  and  God 
noticeably  stood  by  him  in  all  the  difficulties 
and  trials  which  had  hitherto  befallen  him ;  and 
also  blessed  his-faithful  service,  that  much  was 
not  only  brought  into  tolerable  order  externally, 
but  also  a  true  internal  amendment  followed  in 
many  souls,  or  is  yet  to  be  hoped  for,  to  win 
whom  his  kind  and  humble  walk  contributed 
not  a  little.  Furthermore,  that  he,  pastor 
Brunnholtz,  would  endeavor  according  to  the 
grace  which  God  should  bestow,  to  follow  him 
in  the  earnest  and  faithful  exercise  of  his  office, 
and  not  only  publish  the  word  of  God  pure 
and  unadulterated  in  public  discourse,  but  also 
to  labor  especially,  in  all  faithfulness,  for  the 
salvation    of  souls.      In    order  that  he  might 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  J\ 

become  better  acquainted  with  the  sheep  com- 
mitted to  his  care,  and  might  know  how  to 
reprove,  teach,  instruct,  and  exhort  his  hearers 
according  to  the  condition  of  each  one,  he  had 
commenced  to  visit  them  in  their  homes.  On 
this  wise,  he  had  already  found  many  hearts 
eager  for  the  word  of  God,  of  whom  he,  be- 
sides pastor  Muhlenberg,  would  take  the  more 
care,  and  would  seek  to  lead  them  upon  the 
true  foundation. 

§  7.  Concerning  the  second  item,  viz.:  the 
various  trials  which  pastor  Muhlenberg  had  to 
endure  hitherto,  in  the  exercise  of  his  office,  it 
is  sufficient  to  mention  the  following  only,  from 
his  letters.  He  says  that,  first  of  all,  he  was 
not  in  a  little  trouble,  as  well  because  the 
arrival  of  the  needed  assistants  was  delayed 
beyond  expectation,  as  also  because  the  letters 
sent  to  him  from  England  and  Germany  did 
not  arrive  in  due  time  on  account  of  the  mari- 
time war.  Besides  the  increase  of  his  own 
grief  and  care,  several  enemies  not  only  siezed 
the  opportunity  to  deride  him,  that  he  was  now 
also  forsaken  by  his  patrons  and  friends  in 
Europe,  but  some  also  sought  in  every  way  to 
make  him  distrusted  by  the  congregations,  and 


72  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

among  other  things  to  accuse  him,  as  though 
he  applied  the  money  collected  to  his  own  use. 
But  the  calumny  was  refuted  by  the  letters 
which  at  length  arrived,  and  the  remittance 
thereby  of  the  collections.  The  chief  author 
of  this  slander  was  a  preacher  who  had  been 
degraded  in  Germany,  who  also  afterwards 
sought  to  occasion  him  many  a  displeasure. 
But  when  pastor  Muhlenberg's  faithfulness  to 
the  congregations  was  sufficiently  revealed  in 
the  conscience  of  all  his  hearers,  their  confi- 
dence in  him  was  not  weakened,  but  rather 
strengthened  the  more  by  the  manifestation  of 
his  innocence;  and  those  who  were  prejudiced 
by  him,  were  won  again,  and  set  in  good  order. 
After  this,  indeed,  slanders  yet  more  gross  and 
shameless  were  not  wanting;  but  God  made  his 
innocence  manifest  everywhere.  To  mention 
other  reproach,  in  this  place,  which  befell  him 
for  the  sake  of  Christ,  would  be  too  lengthy. 
We  may  say  however  that  his  person  as  well 
as  his  office  were  publicly  and  particularly  re- 
viled by  one  and  another,  and  names  invented 
were  given  him  by  the  world,  in  contempt  of 
true  Christianity,  whereby,  indeed,  the  enemy 
sought  to  hinder  the  blessing  of  his  office.     But 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  73 

God  did  not  permit  him  to  succeed,  but  was 
the  more  powerfully  with  the  pastor  for  the 
conviction  and  winning  of  souls.  Yea,  the 
more  the  perverse  exerted  themselves  to  make 
him  despicable,  without  his  seeking  the  more 
he  was  honored  by  the  unprejudiced,  and  in  the 
greater  consideration  he  was  held  by  his  hear- 
ers, according  to  the  afore-mentioned  testimony 
of  pastor  Brunnholtz. 

§  8.  But  thirdly,  in  relation  to  the  actual 
fruits  of  his  office,  the  Lord  not  only  granted 
him  the  necessary  health  and  strength  to  pros- 
ecute his  work  uninterruptedly,  but  also  did  not 
permit  the  enemy  to  place  any  hindrance  in  his 
way,  in  the  public  or  private  publication  of  the 
Word ;  but  also  continued  and  increased  the 
blessing,  noticed  in  the  first  short  report, 
whereof  he  only  mentions  the  following  few  ex- 
amples, in  his  foregoing  letters.  In  the  German- 
town  congregation  he  instructed  a  small  number 
of  young  people,  and  admitted  them  to  their  first 
communion.  In  the  same  place,  he  also  bap- 
tized three  adult  children  in  one  house,  and 
a  married  man  of  nearly  forty  years,  with 
his  two  adult  children,  who,  in  their  simplicity, 
heartily  besought  their  father  that   he   might 


74  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

receive  holy  baptism.  In  Philadelphia,  also,  a 
young-  woman  of  twenty-five,  of  Quaker  pa- 
rentage, was  publicly  baptized,  and  a  woman 
was  confirmed.  In  New  Hanover,  a  Quaker 
with  four  children  was  baptized,  whose  wife 
had  already  received  the  Holy  Sacrament  of 
baptism  on  New  Year,  1744.  Both  married 
people,  besides  two  others,  were  afterwards  ad- 
mitted to  the  Holy  Supper,  and  now,  with 
theirs,  lead  a  Christian  life.  Finally,  he  re- 
cently baptized  a  respectable  German  with  five 
children,  who  already  for  a  long  time  had  been 
affected  by  the  power  of  God's  word,  but  be- 
cause he  consulted  with  flesh  and  blood,  could 
not  resolve  to  receive  holy  baptism,  until  he  at 
length  had*  prevailed,  and  overcome  every  ob- 
stacle. It  may  be  hoped  of  all,  that'  they  were 
of  good  intention ;  inasmuch  as,  in  this  free 
country,  they  could  neither  expect  temporal 
enjoyment  and  profit,  nor  yet  honor  and  re- 
spectability before  the  world.  Besides  these  per- 
sons brought  again  into  the  communion  of  the 
Evangelical  church,  the  Lord  Jesus  manifested 
himself  so  powerfully  in  many  souls,  through 
his  holy  word,  that  he  hopes  to  see  fruit 
thereof  in  the  life  to  come*.    Some,  also,  already 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  75 

died  happy.  He  might,  indeed,  yet  write  of 
more  seeming  particular  fruits,  but  he  would 
first  see  whether  it  be  anything  well-founded 
and  permanent.  In  the  meanwhile,  this  little 
will  be  sufficient  to  awaken  to  a  hearty  praise 
of  God  Christian  readers,  who  have  their  de- 
light in  the  works  of  the  Lord,  who  has  already 
permitted  his  word  to  accomplish  in  some,  that 
whereunto  he  sent  it.  May  he  further  bless  it 
hereto  evermore,  that  his  glory  and  the  salva- 
tion of  man  may  be  promoted. 

§  9.  It  yet  remains,  in  the  fourth  place,  to 
notice  briefly  the  circumstances  reported  con- 
cerning the  building  of  churches,  to  which  we 
consider  ourselves  the  more  obligated,  inas- 
much as  the  money  remaining  of  the  collec- 
tions, after  defraying  the  traveling  expenses  of 
the  teachers,  was  applied  to  this  object,  as  al- 
ready stated.  The  chief  design  of  this  report, 
besides  the  glory  of  God,  is,  that  the  most  wor- 
thy patrons  and  benefactors  might  know  how 
their  kind  gifts  were  used.  It  may  also  be  re- 
membered as  yet,  from  the  former  short  report, 
that  a  beginning  was  made  to  build  a  large 
church  in  Philadelphia,  and  a  smaller  in  Provi- 
dence, and  the  same  also  so  far  completed,  that 


y6  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

the  worship  of  God  could  be  held  in  both,  al- 
though not  as  yet  entirely  finished.  The 
church  in  Philadelphia,  according  to  the  more 
exact  estimate  made,  would  cost  iooo  pounds 
sterling,  or  5500  Rix  dollars,  but  the  church  in 
Providence,  only  200  pounds  sterling  or  11 00 
Rix  dollars.  Besides  these  two  churches,  a 
school-house  was  built  in  New  Hanover,  where 
there  was  a  church  already,  though  not  entirely 
completed.  As  this  building  of  churches 
might  seem  to  many  as  either  quite  unneces- 
sary, or  at  least  hasty  and  premature,  or  the 
arrangement  of  the  same  too  costly,  pastor 
Muhlenberg  mentioned  that  the  worship  of 
God,  which  was  held  in  a  barn  in  Providence, 
was  not  only  subject  to  much  inconvenience, 
but  that  the  barn  was  also  too  small  to  contain 
the  ever-growing  congregation,  so  that  many  in 
public  worship  were  incommoded  by  the 
weather  on  the  outside  under  the  open  heavens, 
and  therefore  the  building  of  a  church  by  the 
congregation  of  this  place  could  not  be  thought 
amiss  by  any  one.  There  was  a  similar  neces- 
sity in  Philadelphia  also,  as  the  old  hired 
Lutheran  meeting-house  was  too  small,  and 
besides  the    congregation    had   a  suit   in    law 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  JJ 

with  some  who  laid  claim  to  it;  and  although  the 
German  congregation  at  first  by  special  grant 
of  the  Swedish  congregation,  had  obtained 
permission  to  worship  in  their  church,  which, 
notwithstanding  the  envy  of  other  parties,  was 
given  them,  until  they  could  meet  in  their  own 
church,  as  mentioned  in  the  former  report, 
about  the  time  when  the  German  congregation 
began  the  worship  of  God  in  their  own  church, 
the  expected  Swedish  preacher  arrived ;  conse- 
quently that  church  was  used  by  their  congre- 
gation, and  could  by  no  means  any  longer  be 
given  to  the  Germans,  as  the  short  days  of  win- 
ter were  approaching.  Hence  it  is  sufficiently 
clear,  that  this  building  was  not  prematurely 
begun,  but  is  much  more  to  be  recognized,  as 
a  providence  of  God,  that  it  was  yet  completed 
in  due  time;  because  otherwise  the  worship  of 
God  must  have  been  nearly  altogether  inter- 
rupted, for  a  time ;  at  least,  there  was  no  place 
at  hand,  where  the  whole  congregation  would 
have  found  room  for  their  meeting. 

§  10.  As  for  the  rest,  that  this  congregation 
was  tolerably  large  also  appears,  among  other 
things,  from  a  more  recent  letter  from  pastor 
Brunnholtz    of   April    23d,    1745,    which   just 


?8  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

arrived  when  this  was  thus  far  written.  In  it 
he  mentions  that  the  newly-built  church  in 
Philadelphia  is  indeed  pretty  large,  still  it  is 
entirely  filled  on  Sundays,  and  more  continually 
returned  to  the  congregation,  of  those  who 
had  formerly  separated  themselves ;  as  for 
example,  a  man  from  the  Germantown  congre- 
gation made  application  a  few  days  since,  who 
had  not  gone  to  church  in  eighteen  years,  who 
also  desired  to  have  five  grown  children  bap- 
tized. Whence  it  is  manifest  that  the  building 
of  this  church  was  not  begun  on  too  large  a 
scale,  and  as  pastor  Muhlenberg  elsewhere 
mentioned,  that  on  account  of  the  size  re- 
quired, it  could  the  less  be  built  of  timber. 
"He  indeed  also  at  first  advised  this  to  save 
expense.  But  as  such  a  wooden  structure 
would  nevertheless  have  cost  over  1,000  Rix 
dollars,  and  the  wardens  represented  to  the 
congregation  that  it  could  not  be  of  long 
duration,  especially  as  the  timber  in  that  coun- 
try decays  sooner  than  in  this,  on  which  ac- 
count the  members  objected  to  giving  any- 
thing because,  after  some  time,  it  would  be 
labor  lost.  It  was  necessary,  therefore,  to  re- 
solve upon  building  with  stone,  and   trust  to 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  79 

God  that  he  would  provide  the  necessary 
means.  To  cite  in  detail  whatever  more  he 
mentioned  hereof,  would  be  too  lengthy  in  this 
place.  In  the  meanwhile,  this  little  may  suffice 
to  see  the  necessity  of  this  church-building, 
and  besides,  any  one  will  easily  understand  that 
without  the  most  urgent  need,  they  would  not 
have  involved  themselves  in  a  work  so  exten- 
sive, and  taken  such  a  risk,  as  did  pastor 
Muhlenberg  and  the  wardens. 

§  II.  But  as  these  commenced,  all  in  reli- 
ance upon  the  help  and  sure  aid  of  God  alone, 
so  he  also  did  not  hitherto  permit  them  to 
come  to  shame,  but  has  already  given  them 
very  clear  proofs  of  his  timely  care,  inasmuch 
as  the  church  in  Providence  is  not  only  entirely 
finished  now,  but  the  church  in  Philadelphia 
also  had,  in  a  rather  short  time,  been  so  far 
completed  that  the  congregation  can  worship 
in  it.  Next,  God  has  also  already  provided  so 
much  for  the  payment  of  both,  that  of  the  debts 
originally  incurred,  only  a  little  more  than  400 
pounds  sterling,  or  over  2,200  Rix  dollars,  re- 
main to  be  paid  on  the  church  in  Philadelphia, 
and  50  pounds  sterling,  or  275  Rix  dollars,  on 
the  church  in  Providence;  which  stands  on  in- 


SO  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAxV 

terest,  because,  as  already  reported,  the  congre- 
gation exerted  itself  to  the  utmost  in  this  mat- 
ter,  and  the  congregation  in  Philadelphia  espe- 
cially had  collected  about  200  pounds  sterling 
before  the  building  was  commenced.  Several 
neighboring  congregations  made  a  present,  and 
200  pounds  sterling  of  the  former  collections 
were  transmitted  to  Pennsylvania  from  Europe. 
Besides,  there  were  40  pounds  sterling,  or  220 
Rix  dollars,  collected  in  the  German  Lutheran 
church  in  London,  and  547  Rix  dollars  from 
Germany,  as  already  reported,  which  can  be 
sent  for  that  object,  to  which  yet  belong  30 
pounds  sterling,  or  165  Rix  dollars,  which  were 
since  appointed  for  this  church  building  by  kind 
benefactors,  and  transmitted  to  Pennsylvania  in 
the  beginning  of  this  year,  which  will  soon  be 
followed  by  150  Rix  dollars. 

§  12.  But  we  hope  that  God  will  further 
vouchsafe  his  favor,  that  these  poor  German 
congregations  and  their  teachers  may  still  fur- 
ther receive  assistance,  and  the  newly-rising 
blessing  in  this  strange  land  not  only  be  retained, 
but  extended  further  evermore  ;  of  which,  also, 
many  a  hope  manifests  itself.  We  have  this 
special  confidence  in  his  goodness,  that  he  will 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  Si 

awaken  Christian  hearts,  that  will  again  freely- 
consecrate  something  of  the  blessing,  which  he 
has  placed  in  their  hand,  to  him  from  whom  they 
have  all,  for  his  service  in  promoting  the  pros- 
perity of  these  congregations.  For  although 
God,  who  has  helped  hitherto,  is  to  be  praised, 
that  even  those  who  thought  that  pastor  Muh- 
lenberg or  the  wardens  would  be  imprisoned 
for  debt,  before  the  completion  of  the  building, 
or  be  forced  to  abscond,  may  be  convinced 
that  God's  special  hand  is  in  the  work,  still  the 
burden  of  the  remaining  debts  encumbers  the 
congregations  not  a  little,  especially  as  in  the 
church  in  Philadelphia,  besides  the  annual  in- 
terest of  the  debts,  the  windows  are  yet  to  be 
made,  and  the  pews  to  be  finished.  With  this 
heavy  burden,  it  will  be  hard  for  this  congre- 
gation to  support  the  preachers  and  assistants, 
as  most  of  the  members  of  the  German  con- 
gregations have  little  wealth,  and  have  already 
contributed  so  much  of  their  means  to  church 
building.  It  must  also  be  remembered,  that  in 
the  beginning  pastor  Muhlenberg  indeed  had 
the  choice,  if  the  congregations  were  unable  to 
give  him  the  necessary  support  in  the  first 
years,  to  take  it  from  the  collections.  He  also 
6  F 


52  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

signified  his  willingness,  to  retain  a  yearly  sal- 
ary of  the  before  mentioned  200  pounds  ster- 
ling, as  the  congregations  could  scarcely  give 
him  anything  much  in  the  first  years;  and  he 
had  the  misfortune  to  lose  two  horses  by  much 
traveling,  which,  with  an  increased  expendi- 
ture for  clothing  for  such  journeys,  was  rather 
burdensome;  but  as  the  buildings  for  church 
and  school  pressed  the  congregations  so 
heavily,  he  afterwards  did  not  do  it,  but  gave 
the  whole  sum  .to  church  building,  in  the  hope 
that  God,  according  to  his  paternal  faithful- 
ness, would  provide  for  him  in  time. 

§  13.  Finally,  besides  the  above  mentioned, 
there  still  remains  somewhat  to  be  noticed,  from 
the  aforesaid  last  letter  of  pastor  Brunnholtz. 
He  writes  that  he,  together  with  pastor  Muh- 
lenberg, and  the  two  fellow-laborers  or  cate- 
chists,  are  yet  in  good  health,  that  he  does  not 
regret  it  that  he  accepted  the  call  thither,  al- 
though he  must  feel  the  weight  of  importance 
of  his  office,  whereby  he,  in  poverty  of  spirit, 
recognizes  his  unfitness  and  unworthiness 
thereto.  He  daily  seeks  the  sheep  entrusted  to 
him,  and  publishes  to  them,  publicly  and  par- 
ticularly, the  counsel  of  God  for  their  salvation. 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  83 

The  power  of  the  word  of  God  did  not  leave 
itself  without  a  witness  in  many,  who  fre- 
quently visit  him,  when  he  has  opportunity  to 
ascertain  whether  they  advance  or  backslide. 
It  is  necessary  to  have  a  special  eye  to  all,  be- 
cause they  are  exposed  to  manifold  danger  of 
seduction,  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the  left. 
At  another  time,  when  he  preaches  publicly, 
he  has  a  mixed  multitude  before  him,  in  which 
various  religionists  appear;  but  he  seeks  to  pre- 
sent to  the  congregation  the  truths  as  they 
regularly  flow  from  the  text,  when  error  and 
lies  are  spontaneously  exposed  together.  For 
the  sake  of  our  own  people,  he  also  on  occa- 
sion gladly  gives  testimony  from  the  writings 
of  Luther,  that  they  may  see  that  he  remains 
by  the  truth  taught  by  him  out  of  the  word  of 
God.  Mr.  Schaum  continues  his  school  in 
Philadelphia,  which  is  ever  increasing;  God  is 
with  him  and  helps  him  forward.  He  also  oc- 
casionally preaches  for  pastor  Brunnholtz.  Mr. 
Kurtz  has  a  large  school  in  New  Hanover,  and 
much  labor,  and  the  congregation  also  is  well 
satisfied  with  him.  In  Philadelphia,  whenever 
he  is  in  this  congregation,  he  (viz.,  pastor 
Brunnholtz)  preaches  twice  on  Sundays.    Since 


84  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

his  former  letter,  he  was  in  the  country  congre- 
gations in  New  Hanover  and  Providence  for  a 
fortnight,  and  pleached  once  in  each,  as  pastor 
Muhlenberg  in  the  meanwhile  served  the  con- 
gregation in  Philadelphia.  In  this  time  he  had 
also  been  in  a  place  called  Oley,  ten  English 
miles  from  Hanover,  and  preached  for  the  Lu- 
theran congregation  of  that  place,  in  a  house 
in  which  they  assembled.  During  Lent,  how- 
ever, he  was  in  the  city  continually,  and  pre- 
pared the  children  for  the  Holy  Supper.  In  the 
week  previous  to  dispatching  his  letter,  he  like- 
wise went,  by  urgent  request,  to  Cohansey,  a 
place  opposite  the  Delaware,  36  English  or 
about  9  German  miles  distant  from  Philadel- 
phia, and  preached  to  the  forsaken  Lutheran 
congregation  of  that  place,  who  indeed  have  a 
church,  but  no  preacher,  and  are  unable  to  keep 
one.  In  the  meanwhile  they  helped  them  to  a 
schoolmaster,  and  gave  him  the  late  Prof. 
Franke's  Postil,  to  read  a  sermon  therefrom 
every  Sunday.  They  were  also  entreated  from 
various  other  places  to  visit  them  occasionally 
and  preach  for  them.  But  inasmuch  as  they 
had  their  own  congregations,  they  also  had  to 
apportion  themselves,  to  use  the  regular  time 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  85 

for  their  work,  that  they  might  preach  the  word 
of  God  profoundly  and  plainly.  They  were 
unable  to  serve  them  at  all  times,  as  they 
wished;  still,  they  could  not  always  refuse,  and 
did  with  pleasure  as  much  as  they  were  able. 
Those  people  are  so  scattered  in  their  dwellings, 
that  they  cannot  all  support  preachers,  espe- 
cially as  they  are  poor — as  most  German  people 
came  poor  into  the  country.  May  the  faithful 
God  graciously  care  for  these  still  uncared-for 
congregations  ! 

§  14.  Thus  much  we  desired  to  communicate 
to  the  Christian  reader,  concerning  the  efforts 
made  to  help  these  German  congregations  of 
the  Lutheran  church  in  America,  in  providing 
them  with  the  divine  means  of  grace,  and  of 
the  blessing  of  God  given  thereto.  All  this, 
indeed,  is  of  small  account  in  the  eyes  of  the 
world  ;  but  whoever  reflects  in  what  a  forsaken 
condition  the  congregations  had  hitherto  been, 
and  into  what  a  ruin  they  must  ultimately  have 
fallen  if  God  had  not  manifested  his  help  to 
them,  at  the  proper  time,  will  find  cause  to 
acknowledge  this  as  a  special  favor  of  God. 
We  then  doubt  not  that  it  will  be  acceptable  to 
the  Christian  reader  to  find  in  these  few  pages 


86  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

a  short  but  sufficient  account,  taken  from  the 
teacher's  own  letters,  of  the  course  of  the 
newly-rising  blessing  in  America,  in  relation  to 
the  congregations  in  Pennsylvania.  But  he 
will  also  permit  himself  to  be  awakened  hereby, 
to  praise  God  for  such  grace,  and  heartily  call 
upon  him  for  his  aid  and  blessing.  But  to 
him,  the  merciful  God,  whose  gracious  will  is 
not  that  any  one  should  perish,  but  all  come  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth  and  attain  eternal 
salvation,  be  humble  thanks  given,  that  he  also 
turned  with  compassionate  grace  to  these  con- 
gregations, as  perishing  sheep  without  a  shep- 
herd, and  has  already  done  more  than  we  before 
could  understand  or  hope.  May  he  protect  all 
who  hear  his  word  and  thence  his  kind  shep- 
herd-voice, from  despising  such  grace,  and 
graciously  grant  that  they  truly  turn  from  their 
error,  and  as  sheep  found,  permit  themselves  to 
be  gathered  to  the  flock  of  Jesus  Christ. 
May  he  also,  for  this  purpose,  send  his  word 
ever  more  richly  into  these  distant  regions,  and 
ever  furnish  his  servants  there  with  more  power 
for  its  proclamation,  for  the  glorification  of  his 
great  name,  and  especially  of  his  compassionate 
love  of  mankind,  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Amen. 


CHAPTER    III. 

SECOND  CONTINUATION  OF  THE  SHORT  REPORT 
OF  SEVERAL  EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CON- 
GREGATIONS IN  PENNSYLVANIA  AND  NEIGH- 
BORING   PROVINCES    IN    AMERICA. 

It  is  no  doubt  recollected,  from  a  short 
report  printed  two  years  ago,  and  its  first  con- 
tinuation, published  last  year,  how  the  merciful 
God  a  few  years  since  began  to  care  for  various 
until  then  forsaken  German  Evangelical  Luth- 
eran congregations  in  Pennsylvania,  especially 
in  Philadelphia,  Germantown,  Providence  and 
New  Hanover,  providing  them  with  regular 
teachers,  and  setting  his  word  on  the  candle- 
stick among  them.  Since  not  only  Mr.  Henry 
Melchior  Muhlenberg,  sent  thither  as  the  first 
regularly  called  preacher  of  these  congrega- 
tions, and  arriving  among  them  on  the  25th  of 
November,  1742,  but  also  Mr.  Peter  Brunn- 
holtz,  who  as  their  second  preacher,  besides 
two  assistants,  Messrs.  Schaum  and  Kurtz, 
were  sent  afterwards  and  arrived  there  January 
(87) 


88  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

26th,  1745,  who  heartily  care  that  a  good  and 
Christian  order  be  re-established  among  them; 
and  by  the  divine  blessing,  they  also  have  so 
far  succeeded,  that  already  many,  who  had  sep- 
arated themselves  from  communion  with  the 
church,  have  returned  again,  and  in  part  re- 
ceived holy  baptism  with  wife  and  children. 

§  2.  Although,  in  consequence  of  the  inse- 
curity of  navigation  hitherto,  such  circumstan- 
tial reports  as  we  wished  for,  could  not  arrive ; 
still  in  consequence  of  the  many  inquiries  of 
good  friends,  we  have  been  induced  to  give  a 
second  continuation  of  such  short  report,  from 
the  letters  and  accounts  received,  for  the  glori- 
fication of  the  name  of  God,  and  to  the  praise 
of  his  great  mercy,  in  the  hope  that  this  little 
may  be  for  the  pleasure  of  patrons  and  bene- 
factors. Information  will  herein  be  given:  I, 
of  the  exercise  of  their  office  and  work  of  both 
the  preachers  and  assistants  ;  2,  of  the  bless- 
ing of  the  word  of  God  published,  as  of  the 
genuine  fruit  of  the  office,  and  the  reported 
signs  and  traces  thereof;  3,  of  church-building; 
and  4,  of  the  desire  of  more  German  congre- 
gations in  Pennsylvania  and  surrounding  re- 
gions, for  true  teachers. 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  89 

§  3.  In  the  first  place,  then,  as  respects  the 
exercise  of  the  office  and  work  of  the  two 
preachers  and  their  assistants,  it  was  already 
mentioned  in  the  first  continuation,  that,  as 
pastor  Muhlenberg  served  the  above-said  four 
congregations,  until  the  arrival  of  the  new  fel- 
low-laborers, so  also  was  pastor  Brunnholtz 
accepted  by  all  of  them,  as  their  regular 
teacher  and  second  pastor  •  and  both,  at  first, 
alternated  with  each  other,  that  they  might 
have  more  time  to  examine  the  traces  of  the 
divine  guidance,  before  they  regularly  divided 
themselves  in  the  work,  and  agreed  which  con- 
gregations each  one  would  undertake  specially 
to  serve.  When,  therefore,  they  had  maturely 
considered  all  the  circumstances,  they  finally, 
in  June,  1745,  mutually,  and  with  the  approval 
of  the  congregations,  agreed  that  pastor  Muh- 
lenberg particularly  devote  himself  to  the  con- 
gregations in  Providence  and  New  Hanover, 
and  for  this  purpose  settle  at  the  former  place. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  special  care  of  the  con- 
gregations in  Philadelphia  and  Germantown, 
fell  to  the  lot  of  pastor  Brunnholtz,  who  lives 
in  Philadelphia.  However,  in  this  arrangement, 
they  agreed  that  each  one  should  also  take  a 
8* 


90  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

hearty  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  other  con- 
gregations, and  that  the  one  would  not  un- 
dertake anything  of  importance,  without  the 
knowledge  and  advice  of  the  other;  thus  they 
occasionally  have  a  meeting  and  fraternal  con- 
ference, and  in  sincere  love  and  unity,  consider 
and  agree  upon  all  things  necessary. 

§  4.  In  preaching,  they  accommodate  them- 
selves as  much  as- possible  to  the  capacity  of 
the  hearers,  and  condescend  to  them,  that  they 
may  have  a  real  benefit  from  the  discourse. 
For  some  time  already,  before  the  arrival  of 
the  new  fellow-laborers,  pastor  Muhlenberg 
immediately  repeated  the  sermons,  in  questions 
and  answers  with  the  congregation,  whereof 
he  perceived  a  profit  and  a  blessing.  They 
are  not  satisfied  with  the  public  annunciation 
of  the  word  of  God,  but  they  also  seek  oppor- 
tunity to  influence  the  hearts  of  the  hearers 
particularly.  For  this  reason,  they  not  only 
gladly  receive  their  visits,  but  speak  with  them 
according  to  their  condition,  out  of  the  word 
of  God.  They  also  permit  those  who  would 
receive  the  Holy  Supper,  to  announce  them- 
selves to  them  the  week  before,  that  they  may 
examine  them,  and.  speak  to  them  that  which 


CONGREGATIONS  -IN    AMERICA.  91 

is  needful ;  but  they  also  visit  them,  as  much 
as  possible,  in  their  own  homes.  Pastor  Brunn- 
holtz,  after  his  arrival,  especially  sought  to 
become  acquainted  with  the  hearers  entrusted 
to  him,  by  such  home  visits.  The  sick  were 
also  particularly  visited,  and  as  several  epidem- 
ics prevailed  in  Providence  and  New  Hanover, 
much  time,  indeed,  was  required,  but  not  with- 
out a  blessing  also.  A  great  burden,  however, 
is  connected  herewith  for  the  preachers,  as  the 
members  of  the  congregations  do  not  all  live 
together ;  but  many  are  scattered  here  and 
there,  on  plantations  or  fields  cultivated  by 
them,  in  part  from  twelve  to  sixteen  English, 
or  two  to  three  German,  miles  from  the  city ; 
hence  the  preachers  must  always  keep  a  horse, 
that  they  may  at  all  times  go  to  their  hearers 
whenever  their  office  requires  it,  as  they,  for 
the  most  part,  have  to  ride  over  streams  and 
through  morasses  and  forests.  On  account  of 
those  who  are  most  remote,  and  cannot  always 
come  to  church,  or  carry  their  children  across 
the  streams,  they  occasionally  have  divine  ser- 
vice during  the  week  in  some  places  nearer  to 
them,  that  they  may  also  have  opportunity  to 
be  edified  by  the  word  of  God.     There  is  also 


92  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

a  small  congregation,  twenty  English  miles 
from  New  Hanover,  which  has  a  church,  and  is 
served  by  pastor  Muhlenberg  and  his  assistant, 
Mr.  Kurtz,  every  four  weeks,  in  which  region 
there  are  also  other  out-parishes.  As  for  the 
rest,  they  still  continue  to  care  for  other  con- 
gregations, not  yet  provided  with  preachers,  as 
much  as  is  possible  without  neglecting  their 
own  congregations,  whereof  there  will  be 
opportunity  to  say  more  hereafter. 

§  5.  As  respects  the  work  of  the  assistants, 
the  arrangement  made  in  the  beginning 
remains,  which  was  noticed  in  the  first  contin- 
uation, viz :  that  Mr.  Schaum  lives  in  Philadel- 
phia, and  Mr.  Kurtz  in  New  Hanover.  Until 
their  arrival,  pastor  Muhlenberg  had  employed 
a  young  man  as  schoolmaster,  whom  pastor 
Brunnholtz  still  retained  with  him  for  some 
weeks,  for  still  better  preparation  ;  afterwards  to 
let  him  go  as  schoolmaster  to  other  places. 
Mr.  Schaum  took  possession  of  this  school 
immediately  after  his  arrival,  and  now,  after 
pastor  Brunnholtz  remained  in  Philadelphia,  he 
lives  with  him,  in  the  house  rented  by  him,  in 
which  he  instructs  the  children  under  his 
supervision  ;  who  also  testifies  concerning  him, 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  93 

that  besides  his  faithfulness  to  the  youth,  he  is 
also  edifying  to  many  by  the  fervor  he  mani- 
fests in  his  own  Christianity.  Moreover,  pastor 
Brunnholtz  also  began  to  instruct  those  adults 
in  reading  and  writing,  who  had  been  ne- 
glected. 

§  6.  Mr.  Vigera,  of  whom  mention  is  several 
times  made  in  the  reports  of  the  Saltzburgers 
in  Ebenezer,  had  the  care  of  the  school  in  the 
school-house  recently  built  in  New  Hanover, 
to  the  satisfaction  of  pastor  Muhlenberg ;  and 
whenever  they  could  not  have  a  sermon,  he 
also  read  for  the  congregation.  After  Mr. 
Kurtz  had  taken  the  school,  he  at  first  remained 
with  him  yet  for  some  time,  but  is  disposed  to 
take  another  school  again,  in  some  other  place, 
and  meanwhile  assisted  the  preachers  in  the 
instruction  of  those  who  were  preparing  for 
their  first  communion,  and  otherwise  gave  a 
helping  hand  also.  Besides  this  labor  for  the 
youth,  both  assistants  also  preach  every  Sun- 
day in  those  congregations  where  the  preach- 
ers cannot  themselves  attend  the  worship  of 
God,  and  they  alternate  with  them ;  wherefore 
they  are  also  called  assistants  by  the  congre- 
gations, which  designation,  besides,  is  not  un- 


94         REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

known  in  Wurtemberg  and  in  other  places 
along  the  Rhine,  and  is  equivalent  to  substi- 
tute. As  for  the  rest,  both  preachers  give  as- 
surance that  they  are  faithful  and  diligent  in 
their  calling,  and  that  the  congregations  gave 
hearty  thanks  for  their  election  and  mission. 
It  was  also  recognized  by  pastor  Muhlenberg, 
as  a  sign  of  the  divine  providence,  that  he 
found  an  excellent  young  person,  whom  he  can 
employ  under  his  supervision  in  the  instruc- 
tion of  the  youth  in  Providence. 

§  7.  As  it  is  not  a  small  favor  to  the  con- 
gregations to  be  provided  with  faithful  preach- 
ers, so  is  this  also,  that  their  children  are  duly 
taught,  as  before  they  must  needs  grow  up 
without  any  instruction  whatever.  The  con- 
gregations also  acknowledge  such  a  doubly 
great  favor,  with  hearty  thanks  to  God  and 
their  patrons  and  benefactors  in  Europe,  by 
whom  the  preachers  and  assistants  were  sent 
to  them,  and  the  means  provided  for  their  voy- 
age ;  and  learn  to  esteem  them  ever  more 
highly,  as  they  more  clearly  perceive  that  they 
mean  it  well  with  them,  and  seek  not  their 
own,  but  their  true  and  eternal  salvation,  and 
permitted  no  trouble  or  inconvenience  herein 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  95 

to  offend  them.  They,  therefore,  did  not  al- 
low their  gratitude  to  be  attested  by  their 
preachers  only,  but  some  of  the  wardens  them- 
selves sent  a  letter  of  thanks,  of  this  import ; 
how  they  heartily  thanked,  in  their  name,  and 
in  the  name  of  the  congregations,  the  court- 
preacher  Ziegenhagen  in  London,  Dr.  Franke 
in  Halle,  and  all  patrons  and  friends,  that  in 
their  greatest  distress  and  anxiety  they  came 
to  their  help,  and  cared  for  them  so  faithfully 
and  paternally,  that  they  were  not  only  pro- 
vided with  faithful  and  honest  preachers  and 
laborers  in  church  and  school,  but  also  re- 
ceived a  contribution  for  their  church  and 
school-building,  which  was  carefully  remitted 
to  them.  They  heartily  praised  the  goodness 
of  God  for  such  benefits,  and  called  upon  him, 
that  he,  the  faithful  God,  who  does  not  permit 
a  drink  of  cold  water  to  pass  unrecompensed, 
would  reward  them  richly.  They  moreover 
pray  that  they  not  only  further  care  for  them, 
but  also,  in  future,  help  the  preachers  and  as- 
sistants where  it  is  needful,  with  intercession, 
counsel,  and  aid;  as  they  stand  so  much  the 
more  in  need  of  this,  inasmuch  as  they,  like  all 
faithful  teachers  of  upright  intention,  must  meet 


96  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

with  much  opposition,  so  that  their  courage  fail 
not,  but  that  they  may  patiently  endure  and  ex- 
ercise their  office  faithfully  in  the  future.  The 
preacher  especially,  who  was  degraded  in  Ger- 
many, and  mentioned  in  the  first  continuation, 
is  one  of  the  most  shameless  among  the 
slanderers  and  traducers,  and  ceases  not  to  sin 
by  all  manner  of  abuse.  The  preacher  noticed 
in  the  first  short  report,  who  was  also  dismissed 
somewhere  in  Germany,  and  who,  before  the 
arrival  of  pastor  Muhlenberg,  intruded  in  Phil- 
adelphia, still  indeed  takes  sides  with  the 
former,  but  is  otherwise  rather  quiet  in  his 
congregations.  In  their  places  they  now  have 
tolerable  rest  from  the  Moravians,  as  there 
never  was  much  room  left  for  them  in  the  same, 
but  elsewhere  they  are  still  active. 

§  8.  In  the  second  place,  there  is  somewhat 
to  be  said  of  the  effects,  and  of  the  blessing  of 
the  preached  word  of  God,  as  the  genuine  fruit 
of  the  office,  and  the  reported  tokens  and  signs 
thereof;  which  also  is  the  chief  thing,  to  cheer 
the  Christian  teachers,  and  can  awaken  to  the 
praise  of  the  name  of  God,  to  whom  alone  all 
praise  therefore  is  due.  In  general,  the  preach- 
ers  report  that  they  exercised  their  office  in 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  97 

weakness  indeed,  and  many  obstacles  and  pre- 
vailing disorders  cannot  be  so  soon  and  at  once 
removed;  therefore,  they  seek  to  continue  and 
to  persevere  the  more  earnestly  and  unweari- 
edly  with  the  preaching  of  the  word  ;  neverthe- 
less, they  can  already  really  perceive  some 
fruit  also,  especially  since  the  one  never 
extols  the  blessing  which  God  grants  to  the 
labor  of  the  other.  Among  other  things,  after 
he  had  given  thanks  for  the  election  and  mis- 
sion of  Mr.  Brunnholtz,  pastor  Muhlenberg 
writes,  November  1st,  1745  :  "  He  accommo- 
dates himself  well  to  the  circumstances  of  this 
country.  He  takes  care  of  himself,  of  his  doc- 
trine, and  of  the  poor  sheep.  The  grace  of 
God  is  mighty  in  him,  in  his  weakness.  By 
it  he  is  able  to  contend  and  suffer,  and  pass 
through  honor  and  dishonor,  through  evil  and 
good  report,  etc.  The  Lord  also  gives  him  an 
open  door,  and  crowns  his  office  with  blessing, 
which  is  to  me  a  great  joy;  and  I  hope,  that  if 
in  patience  we  still  persevere  in  the  preaching 
of  the  word,  all  things  will  in  time  be  brought 
into  good  order  by  the  help  of  God."  He 
gives  similar  assurance  in  several  letters.  Pas- 
tor Brunnholtz  testifies  the  same  of  the  office 
9  ,; 


98  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

of  pastor  Muhlenberg,  whereof  the  blessing 
was  not  only  manifest  before  his  arrival,  but  is 
also  ever  more  revealed  to  him,  in  his  special 
intercourse  with  souls,  when  many  confess  that 
they  were  awakened  by  his  sermons.  On 
December  the  9th,  1745,  he  writes  to  a  good 
friend  of  the  blessing  generally  :  "As  respects 
the  building  up  of  the  kingdom  of  God  in  this 
place,  you  may  have  seen  occasionally,  by  the 
reports  sent,  which  are  likely  communicated  to 
you,  how  it  progresses,  in  much  weakness  in- 
deed, but  still  with  some  fruit.  We  would  not 
extol  our  affairs  so  much  as  others  are  accus- 
tomed to  do,  who  of  three  or  four  half-con- 
verted persons  (still  God  knows  them),  make 
up  a  congregation  of  the  Spirit,  worthy  of  ad- 
miration. I  have  a  real  loathing  for  such 
boasting,  because  at  the  foundation  there  is  a 
corrupt  motive."  In  an  account  transmitted,  in 
which  he  reports  his  and  his  colleagues'  exer- 
cise of  office,  during  the  first  half  of  the  year 
1745,  he  mentions  many  whom  he  either  visi- 
ted in  their  homes,  or  was  visited  by  them,  in 
whom  he  found  something  good,  and  a  soul 
longing  for  salvation  with  whom  he  could  have 
an  edifying  conversation  concerning  Christian- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  99 

ity,  and  in  part  notice  that  they  were  not  inex- 
perienced therein,  or  had  already  also  laid  a 
good  foundation,  so  that  he  was  heartily  de- 
lighted. 

§  9.  But  besides  these  of  which  only  a  brief 
notice  is  taken,  more  particulars  are  mentioned 
of  others — to  use  his  own  words :  "  On  the  23d 
of  January,  1745,  I  baptized  a  child  in  church, 
whose  parents  are  Reformed  and  came  over  the 
sea  with  me,  etc.  The  mother  was  powerfully 
affected  by  the  word  preached  on  the  ship  to 
the  German  families  on  board  from  Switzerland, 
to  which  she  also  belonged,  and  has  made  a 
good  beginning  in  true  repentance.  On  the 
ship,  I  held  a  daily  prayer-meeting  with  these 
Swiss,  and  also  noticed  in  some  of  them  pow- 
erful workings  of  grace.  In  the  evening  of  the 
30th  of  January,  I,  together  with  my  colleague, 
rode  to  a  mill  to  visit  a  very  sick  woman.  I 
heartily  rejoiced  over  the  composure  of  this 
sick  person,  and  her  love  declared  of  the  Lord 
Jesus.  It  is  as  balm  on  my  head,  when  here 
and  there  I  find  an  upright  soul.  On  the  15th 
of  February  I  visited  a  Reformed  woman,  who 
is  truly  penitent,  and  a  negress  or  black  slave 
entered,  who  testified  to  have   a  desire  for  the 


IOO  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

Christian  religion  and  true  knowledge,  with 
whom  I  conversed  somewhat  in  the  English 
language,  for  her  further  encouragement. 
On  the  26th  of  February,  a  man  visited  me, 
who  complained  that  he  indeed  was  often  af- 
fected by  the  preaching  of  my  colleague,  but 
still  as  yet  never  made  a  right  beginning  of  a 
true  Christian  life.  He  knew  well,  that  he 
must  begin  over  again,  and  so  he  is  now  re- 
solved to  do.  I  conversed  with  him  of  the 
true  change'  of  mind,  and  of  the  new  birth,  and 
sought  to  strengthen  him  in  his  good  purpose. 
On  the  22d  of  March,  a  woman  belonging  to 
the  congregation  was  with  me  alone,  who 
hitherto  came  to  the  evening  meeting,  in  which 
I  instructed  the  adults  in  reading  and  writing, 
and  revealed  to  me  her  anxiety  and  disquietude 
of  soul,  on  account  of  certain  sins  committed 
in  Germany.  I  sought  to  lead  her  into  a  true 
penitence  of  heart.  She  said  that  she  would 
willingly  consent  that  I  should  publish  it  to 
the  whole  congregation,  if  she  should  thereby 
be  delivered  from  her  anguish.  Whereupon  I 
explained  to  her,  that  this  was  unnecessary 
here.  As  no  one  in  our  congregation  knows 
anything   of  it,  it  was   not   advisable,  first,  to 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  IOI 

make  known  the  sins,  by  such  a  public  notice, 
which  also  of  itself  would  not  give  her  con- 
science peace.  She  must  especially  heartily 
call  upon  God,  and  pray  for  a  right  knowledge 
of  sin,  and  for  light,  to  understand  the  whole 
abomination  of  the  heart ;  and  then  come  to 
Christ  as  weary  and  heavy  laden,  so  will  she 
find  rest  for  her  soul.  On  the  3d  of  April,  the 
woman  was  with  me  again,  and  I  rejoiced  that 
the  Lord,  by  all  appearance,  had  led  her  into 
true  penitence." 

§  10.  At  another  time,  under  date  of  June 
nth,  mention  is  made  of  two  married  people, 
who  were  indeed  baptized  in  their  youth,  but 
never  held  to  a  church,  and  remained  without 
any  instruction  in  the  Christian  religion  until 
pastor  Muhlenberg  had  come  into  the  country, 
whose  preaching  they  diligently  attended,  and 
were  awakened  by  the  same  to  a  true  longing 
desire  for  salvation.  Pastor  Brunnholtz  yet 
particularly  instructed  them,  and  prepared  them 
to  partake  of  the  holy  Supper.  The  utility  of 
conducting  their  office  faithfully  also  manifests 
itself  herein,  that  as  pastor  Brunnholtz  writes, 
April  22d,  1746:  "The  churchly  Lutherans 
(as  they  are  called  by  other  parties),  are  now 
9* 


102  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

again,  as  it  were,  respected  by  them,  whereas 
they,  at  another  time,  had  become  wholly  de- 
spicable with  them,  through  the  scandal  of 
carnally-minded  preachers,  who  in  part  thrust 
themselves  into  the  office,  without  a  regular 
call."  He  continues  :  "  Oh !  that  we  might 
shine  only  as  lights  among  our  people,  and 
that  their  darkness  might  become  light !  If 
among  our  hearers,  more  would  still  be 
awakened  to  walk  as  children  of  the  light,  in 
the  light,  so  would  also  such  offense  given  to 
others,  more  and  more  fall  away." 

§  II.  Various  examples  are  also  presented 
of  such  who  grew  up  without  receiving  holy 
baptism,  and  either  held  to  other  parties 
hitherto,  or  lived  wholly  without  religious  ex- 
ercise in  the  community,  and  who,  after  instruc- 
tion, received  the  Sacrament  of  holy  Baptism, 
in  part  with  their  children,  whereof  pastor 
Brunnholtz,  in  the  aforesaid  writing,  reports  the 
following :  "  On  the  28th  of  February,  my 
colleague  arrived  in  Philadelphia  from  Provi- 
dence, and  related  to  me  that  he  had  baptized 
a  father  and  four  children  in  the  country.  The 
man  had  been  already  for  a  long  time  convinced 
of  the  necessity  of  baptism,  but  could  not  so 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  IO3 

soon  conquer  himself  and  actually  resolve  upon 
its  reception.  In  the  meanwhile,  he  diligently 
heard  the  word  of  God,  until  at  length  God 
gave  him  grace  to  break  through  every  ob- 
stacle. On  the  24th  of  March,  my  colleague 
baptized  two  daughters  of  Mennonite  parent- 
age, who  are  soon  also  to  partake  of  the  holy 
Supper.  Early  on  the  31st  of  March,  I  rode 
to  Germantown,  preached  and  baptized  several 
children.  After  the  sermon  a  man  came  to  me 
who  has  five  grown-up  children,  who  are  still 
unbaptized,  and  requested  me  to  baptize  them 
and  prepare  them  for  it,  whereof  there  was 
something,  yet  only  preliminary,  mentioned  in 
the  first  continuation.  I  rode  with  him  to  his 
plantation,  or  cultivated  estate,  about  five  Eng- 
lish or  one  German  mile  from  the  church,  con- 
versed with  the  children  themselves,  and  prom- 
ised to  instruct  them  in  the  necessary  articles. 
The  man  is  already  in  the  country  seventeen 
years,  and  has  otherwise  an  excellent  knowl- 
edge of  Christianity,  and  is  also  provided  with 
good  books.  It  maybe  inferred  herefrom,  into 
what  a  ruin  these  Christian  congregations 
would  in  time  have  fallen,  if  they  had  not  been 
supplied  with  regular  teachers,  when   parents. 


104  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

even  of  good  knowledge,  permitted  their  chil- 
dren to  grow  up  without  baptism.  It  is  easy, 
therefore,  to  draw  a  conclusion  from  such, 
with  reference  to  ignorant  people,  and  have  the 
more  reason  to  praise  God,  that  he  let  his 
light  arise,  yet  in  due  time,  as  it  were,  in  the 
midst  of  darkness.  As  respects  the  five  adult 
children  already  mentioned,  the  three  older, 
after  having  received  sufficient  instruction  in 
Christianity,  were  baptized  on  the  9th  of  June, 
1745,  on  Trinity  Sunday;  but  the  two  younger 
a  few  weeks  afterwards,  before  the  public  con- 
gregation. A  married  _  woman  also,  together 
with  her  two  brothers,  after  enjoying  instruc- 
tion in  the  fundamental  truths  of  Christianity, 
received  holy  Baptism  on  the  16th  of  June,  in 
Providence,  not  without  being  affected  them- 
selves, as  also  the  whole  congregation.  Other- 
wise they  live  in  Matetscha,  four  English  miles 
from  Providence,  and  are  reckoned  to  that 
congregation." 

§  12.  But  as  this  account  only  extends  to  the 
beginning  of  July,  1745,  so  we  have  no  suffi- 
cient intelligence  of  that  which  transpired  in 
the  other  half  of  the  year,  except  that  which 
was  yet  to  be  seen  from  several  letters  of  pas- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  105 

tor  Brunnholtz,  from  which  the  following 
double  extract  will  not  be  unacceptable.  The 
first  is  from  a  letter  to  a  good  friend  in  Ton- 
ningen,  in  which,  among  other  things,  it  is  said  : 
"When  I  have  a  funeral,  which  is  always  ac- 
companied with  a  sermon,  I  often  have  hearers 
of  all  kinds  of  religions  and  sects  that  are  in 
the  world ;  for  all  the  neighbors  round  about 
are  invited  to  attend  the  funeral.  There  I  am 
often  able  to  speak  an  edifying  word,  and  many 
sects  then  hear,  that  we  insist  on  a  true  Chris- 
tianity; whereof  they  are  accustomed  to  believe 
the  opposite,  as  they  imagine  that  the  church 
people  (so  they  call  those  who  go  to  church) 
place  their  salvation  in  church-going.  I  re- 
cently buried  several  children  in  Germantown, 
and  the  funeral  exhortations  delivered  on  the 
occasion  so  pleased  a  separatist,  that  when 
a  child  died  for  him  soon  after,  he  desired  me 
to  bury  it  with  a  sermon  also.  When  I  ar- 
rived, it  was  found  that  the  child  was  unbap- 
tized,  and  therefore  I  at  first  refused  to  do  it ; 
when,  however,  I  became  acquainted  with  the 
man's  disposition  of  mind,  I  buried  it,  and 
afterwards  baptized  four  little  children  for  him, 
in  the  presence  of  all  kinds  of  people,  who  did 


106  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

not  remain  unmoved,  when  they  saw  how  wil- 
lingly the  children  kneeled  and  suffered  them- 
selves to  be  baptized,  after  they  had  themselves 
answered  my  short  questions,  according  to 
their  comprehension  and  understanding."  The 
second  extract  is  from  a  letter  to  his  family, 
whereof  this  is  especially  worthy  of  note. 
"  Since  my  arrival,  we  have  baptized  many  adults 
here  and  there.  On  Sunday  after  Michaelis, 
the  church  in  Providence  was  solemnly  conse- 
crated, on  which  occasion,  besides  ourselves, 
there  were  two  other  Lutheran  preachers  and 
many  hundred  souls  present.  We  baptized  on 
that  day  three  blackamoors,  who  were  publicly 
examined."  It  is  however,  to  be  regretted,  that 
of  these  especially,  no  fuller  report  can  as  yet 
be  given,  inasmuch  as  it  is  one  of  the  most  re- 
markable circumstances,  that  the  merciful  God 
also^let  his  light  arise  on  these,  who  were  born 
as  heathen,  and  brought  up  as  Moors,  and  gave 
them  grace  unto  repentance." 

§  13.  In  the  third  place,  a  short  account  of 
the  building  of  churches  is  yet  to  be  given. 
The  consecration  of  the  church  in  Providence 
was  briefly  noticed  in  the  extract  just  cited. 
Elsewhere   pastor   Brunnholtz    mentioned  the 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  IO7 

following,  concerning  the  same :  "  The  new- 
church  at  Providence  proved  a  great  success. 
It  is  entirely  finished,  except  that  something  is 
yet  to  be  done  to  the  galleries.  It  is  built  of 
stone,  and  therefore  proportionally  not  near  so 
expensive  as  the  church  in  Philadelphia,  as 
nothing  can  be  had  there  except  bricks, 
which  are  exceedingly  dear,  especially  as 
several  hundred  houses  are  built  in  Phila- 
delphia every  year."  As  it  was  elsewhere 
said,  that  they  would  not  consecrate  it  until 
everything  was  finished,  ,  it  is  presumable, 
that  that  which  was  at  the  time  yet  to  be 
done  in  it  to  the  galleries,  was  completed 
before  said  dedication,  although  this  is  not 
specially  reported.  In  the  church  in  Phil- 
adelphia, however,  the  windows  are  yet  to  be 
made,  and  otherwise  various  things  to  be  done. 
Therefore,  in  the  worship  of  God  especially, 
the  wind  penetrating  the  windows  in  cold 
weather,  occasions  much  inconvenience.  But 
the  congregation  has  not  as  yet  been  in  a  con- 
dition to  finish  altogether  that  which  was 
wanting,  inasmuch  as  the  load  of  debt  is  still 
too  heavy  for  them.  As  for  the  rest,  in  the 
most  recent  letter  of  pastor  Brunnholtz,  of  April 


108  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

22d,  1746,  the  following  exact  account  is  given 
of  that  which  they  have  yet  to  pay  :  "  On  the 
14th  of  March,  the  wardens  presented  to  my 
colleague  and  myself  their  church  account,  in 
Philadelphia.  After  the  church  had  received 
150  pounds  of  our  current  money,  it  is  found, 
that  its  indebtedness  is  still  694  pounds  of  said 
money  (about  2540  Rix  dollars),  for  which  we 
annually  pay  near  42  pounds  (or  154  Rix 
dollars)  interest.  The  church  as  it  stands, 
without  windows,  floor,  pews,  pulpit,  and  the 
like,  that  must  yet  be  made,  costs  1 3 10  £. 
17s.  9-^d.  curfent  money  (about  4800  Rix 
dollars).  Of  this  there  was  paid  616  £.  4s.  9d., 
so  the  above  still  remains  in  arrears.  May  the 
benevolent  God  yet  help  us  so  far,  that  we  may 
at  least  be  able  to  pay  the  debts  within  about  400 
pounds  which  would  amount  to  about  24  pounds 
(or  nearly  90  Rix  dollars)  yearly  interest,  which 
the  congregation  would  have  to  pay,  until  the 
whold  debt  could  be  liquidated.  We  also  need 
an  ordinary  bell,  but  must  have  patience,  until 
God  gives  us  the  means  to  pay  for  it,  so  that 
we  do  not  venture  so  far  that  we  cannot  retrace 
our  steps.  The  congregation  in  Philadelphia  is 
one  of  the  largest,  but  also  one  of  the  poorest, 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  IO9 

and  as  respects  the  membership,  changes  often, 
inasmuch  as  the  fewest  of  them  are  regular  in- 
habitants and  settled  people.  When  the  Ger- 
mans arrive  here  from  the  ships,  those  who 
cannot  pay  their  passage  must  as  it  were  sell 
themselves,  together  with  their  families  ;  when 
they  must  serve  until  they  have  paid  for  their 
passage  by  labor.  Such  are  called  servants.. 
When  they  have  paid  for  their  passage,  and 
earned  something  besides,  they  gradually  move 
up  into  the  country  and  purchase  homes 
for  themselves.  Nevertheless,  the  rich  God 
will  not  forsake  us  in  our  church-building,  but 
will  help  us  abundantly.  May  he  only  grant 
that  Zion  be  built  up  within,  and  may  he  arise 
and  have  mercy  on  it !  How  much  the  church 
at  Providence  cost,  and  how  much  the  remain- 
ing debt,  I  cannot  now  exactly  tell,  as  my  col- 
league serves  the  congregations  there,  and  who 
will  himself  soon  transmit  a  regular  account 
thereof.  He  cannot  now  write  with  me,  be- 
cause up  in  the  country  he  can  have  no  infor- 
mation of  the  departure  of  the  ship.  This 
much  I  however  know,  that  they  have  received 
their  share  of  the  common  collection  money." 
The  greatest   necessity  also  required  that  the 


IIO  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

church  in  Germantown  be  enlarged,  which 
pastor  Brunnholtz  not  only  mentioned  several 
times  before,  and  indicated  such  necessity,  but 
also  wrote  the  following  in  his  last  letter,  of 
the  actual  beginning  of  the  enlargement :  "  On 
April  the  15th,  of  this  year,  we,  in  the  name 
of  God,  laid  the  foundation  stone  in  German- 
town,  of  the  new  building  of  the  Lutheran 
church.  It  will  be  30  feet  longer  and  6  feet 
wider  than  it  had  been.  The  estimate  is  about 
160  pounds  of  our  money  (568  Rix  dollars.) 
Sixty  pounds  thereto  were  subscribed  or  prom- 
ised by  members  of  the  congregation  and  by 
friends,  the  rest  we  must  take  on  interest.-  Six 
years  ago  there  were  scarcely  six  members  of 
the  congregation  there,  and  the  church  was  too 
large  ;  but  now  there  are  about  seventy  regular 
families." 

§  14.  As  the  building  of  churches  was  of 
the  highest  necessity,  the  preachers  and  war- 
dens of  the  congregation  commenced  the  same 
at  first,  as  well  in  Philadelphia  and  Providence 
as  now  also  in  Germantown,  in  reliance  upon 
God — that  although  they  saw  no  sufficient 
means  at  hand,  he  would  nevertheless  gra- 
ciously  provide    them.     They   also    extol    his 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  I  I  I 

name,  that  he  has  already  richly  manifested  his 
gracious  providence,  so  that  nearly  half  of  the 
expense  of  the  church  building  in  Philadelphia 
may  be  paid,  as  a  larger  share  of  the  favors  re- 
ceived of  the  congregation  of  that  place,  were 
applied  thereto,  because  the  expenses  were  the 
greater.  In  the  meanwhile,  they  say  that, 
nevertheless,  the  debts  yet  to  be  paid  exceed 
their  present  ability,  and  if  some  help,  at  least, 
does  not  yet  come,  they  are  unable  to  carry 
them.  Not  to  mention  other  passages  from  his 
letters,  under  date  of  November  1st,  1745, 
pastor  Muhlenberg,  among  other  things,  writes : 
"A  great  request,  which  seemed  almost  impos- 
sible to  man,  the  Lord  has  fulfilled,  by  sending 
fellow-laborers  to  me.  The  other  burden, 
which  still  weighs  very  heavily  upon  us,  are 
the  debts  of  church-building,  which  we  are  un- 
able to  pay,  for  which,  however,  the  patrons  in 
Europe  have  already  done  much,  and  are  still 
doing."  But  they  also  have  this  reliance  upon 
the  goodness  of  God,  that  he  will  still  commu- 
nicate some  favors  to  them,  and  not  permit 
them  to  come  to  shame  in  their  hope,  but  as 
he  has  helped  hitherto,  he  will  still  help,  that 
his  name  may  be  praised  therefor,  and  the  bless- 


I  I  2  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

ing  which  has  newly  arisen,  be   retained  and 
promoted. 

§  15.  We  have  besides  just  reason  to  praise 
God,  that  he  not  only  graciously  had  mercy  on 
this  forsaken  and  scattered  flock  in  the  four 
united  congregations,  and  gave  them  shep- 
herds, who  gather  them  again,  seek  the  lost, 
restore  the  wandering,  minister  to  and  care  for 
the  sick,  and  can  feed  the  perishing  sheep  with 
the  saving  word  of  the  gospel,  which  they 
have  also  done  hitherto,  according  to  the  abil- 
ity which  the  Lord  has  given,  and  therein 
richly  experienced  the  blessing  of  God.  Thus 
it  also  conduces  to  the  acceptance  of  the  Evan- 
gelical church,  that  by  these  means  the  pure 
doctrine  is  preserved  in  these  congregations. 
Since,  on  the  contrary,  it  was  to  be  feared,  that 
otherwise  not  only  more  would  'continually 
rather  have  separated  themselves  from  the  com- 
munion of  the  church,  than  to  have  held  to  those, 
who  imposed  themselves  as  preachers,  occa- 
sioned in  part  great  scandal  by  their  irregular  life, 
and  brought  a  great  reproach  upon  Evangelical 
religion  with  others.  But  it  might  have  been 
that  as  the  youth  would  have  grown  up  with- 
out any  instruction,  or  even  without   receiving 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  II3 

holy  Baptism,  nothing  else  would  have  resulted 
therefrom  than  this,  that  the  light  of  the  pure 
doctrine  would  have  been  wholly  extinguished 
in  their  descendants.  Yea,  the  blessing  of  pro- 
viding for  the  four  above-said  congregations  is 
not  to  them  alone,  but  it  seems  also  to  be  the 
gracious  will  of  God  to  extend  the  same  still 
more,  and  also  to  place  his  word  on  the  candle- 
stick in  other  congregations  and  in  other  re- 
gions, to  prevent  the  prevailing  darkness  in 
them  also,  as  among  other  things  appears  from 
that  which  follows. 

§  16.  There  is  in  the  fourth  place  something 
to  be  added  concerning  the  desire  of  several 
German  congregations  in  Pennsylvania  and  the 
surrounding  regions  for  true  teachers.  After  it 
became  still  more  known  by  others,  how  faith- 
fully pastor  Muhlenberg,  and  afterwards  pastor 
Brunnholtz  also,  hitherto  sought  to  care  for 
their  office  and  for  the  congregations  entrusted 
to  them,  it  produced  a  desire  in  many,  that 
they  might  indeed  also  enjoy  the  preaching 
of  the  word  of  God.  Several,  who  for  the 
most  part  on  account  of  their  poverty  were 
unable  to  support  a  preacher  of  their  own, 
have  urged  them  with   much  entreaty  to  visit 


114  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

them  occasionally  and  preach  for  them,  whose 
request  also  they  could  not  wholly  refuse,  al- 
though overburdened  with  work  in  their  own 
congregations,  but  sought  to  serve  them,  as 
much  as  possible,  without  neglecting  these. 
Among  such  congregations,  among  others,  are 
that  at  Oley,  Cohansey,  Chester,  and  on  the 
Schwartzwalde.  At  Oley,  before  the  arrival  of 
the  new  assistants,  pastor  Muhlenberg  had 
already  baptized  four  grown  children  at  the 
request  of  their  mother,  who  has  a  heart  hun- 
gering after  grace,  whereat,  indeed,  the  father 
was  at  first  displeased,  but  afterwards  was  sat- 
isfied, and  gave  them  liberty  to  go  to  church 
and  to  school,  and  also  visited  the  preachers 
himself,  and  conversed  with  them  in  a  friendly 
manner.  They  preached  there  on  several  oc- 
casions, as  well  as  at  Cohansey,  and  noticed  that 
the  people  were  considerably  affected.  The 
last-mentioned  place  lies  thirty-six  English,  or 
about  six  German  miles  from  Philadelphia 
The  before-mentioned  young  man,  who  had 
taught  school  in  Philadelphia,  and  to  whom 
pastor  Brunnholtz  yet,  for  a  time,  gave  further 
preparation,  was  assigned  to  the  congregation 
there,  as   schoolmaster,  and   an  edifying   postil 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  I  I  5 

given  him,  to  read  therefrom  a  sermon  for 
them  on  Sundays,  as  was  also  already  noticed 
in  the  first  continuation.  Concerning  a  ser- 
mon delivered  at  Chester,  pastor  Brunnholtz 
reports  •  the  following  in  his  diary  :  "On  the 
25th  of  March,  1745,  a  man  was  with  me,  and 
desired  that  I  should  come  to  Chester  and 
preach  to  the  Germans  there ;  that  the  English 
preacher  had  promised  to  open  the  church  for 
them,  in  case  they  should  secure  a  regularly 
called  minister  to  preach  for  them.  On  the 
30th  of  June,  after  service,  I,  together  with  a 
good  friend  and  several  elders  of  the  congre- 
gation in  Philadelphia,  drove  to  that  place. 
This  village  is  sixteen  English,  or  about  three 
German  miles  from  Philadelphia.  We  arrived 
at  two  o'clock,  in  the  heat  of  the  day.  The 
Germans,  who  for  the  most  part  are  servants, 
and  serve  with  the  English,  and  therefore 
speak  half  German  and  half  English,  were  as- 
sembled, and  the  English  preacher  permitted 
them  to  hold  their  worship  of  God  in  the 
English  church.  During  the  sermon  many 
English  people  were  present.  Afterwards  I 
had  all  the  Germans  to  meet  at  a  German's 
house,  and  admonished  them  to  come  together 


I  1 6  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

on  Sundays,  and  to  have  a  sermon  read  for 
them  by  one  of  their  number  who  could  read 
best,  for  which  I  also  promised  them  a  collec- 
tion of  sermons.  They  stood  around  about 
me  like  children,  or  as  sheep  perishing,  that 
are  without  a  shepherd,  and  wept,  which  af- 
fected the  people  who  came  with  me  from  Phil- 
adelphia very  much,  as  those  who  now  no 
longer  have  such  a  destitution  in  the  preaching 
of  the  word  of  God.  In  Germany,  where  they 
can  hear  one,  two  or  three  sermons  every  Sun- 
day, the  fewest  value  it;  but  here  many  rejoice 
if  they  hear  a  sermon  once  in  a  year.  Those 
in  Chester  did  not  hear  a  German  Evangelical 
sermon  in  six  years.  The  German  Lutherans 
in  Schartzwalde,  a  place  between  Tulpehocken 
and  New  Hanover,  have  built  a  new  church  in 
union  with  the  Reformed,  and  indeed  accepted 
one  as  their  preacher,  who  had  been  a  school- 
master in  Germany ;  still,  they  were  much  de- 
lighted when  pastors  Muhlenberg  and  Brunn- 
holtz,  on  their  return  from  a  journey  to 
Tulpehocken,  passed  through  that  place,  and 
the  latter,  at  their  request,  preached  for  them. 
These  few  things  are  cited  as  an  example,  how 
such  congregations,  which   for  the   most  part 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  I  1 7 

have  no  preachers  of  their  own,  but  of  which 
there  may  yet  be  more,  participate  in  some 
measure  in  the  favor  which  God  has  granted 
to  others. 

§  17.  But  different  other  congregations, 
which  either  had  not  been  supplied  with  regular 
preachers,  or  whose  preachers  had  left,  have 
through  pastors  Muhlenberg  and  Brunnholtz, 
urgently  petitioned  for  several  faithful  teachers, 
whom  they  also  promised  to  support.  In  a 
town  somewhat  more  than  a  day's  journey 
from  New  Hanover,  the  Lutheran  congregation 
delivered  to  pastor  Muhlenberg  (who  at  their 
desire  had  visited  them  several  times,  and  also 
prepared  some  young  people  for  their  first 
communion  in  that  place),  a  formal  letter  of  at- 
torney, as  a  call  for  a  new  preacher,  and  be- 
sought him,  until  his  arrival,  to  care  for  them 
as  much  as  possible  ;  and  he  says,  that  a  faith- 
ful servant  of  Christ  could  there  have  a  wide 
field  for  labor,  as  many  Germans  live  far  and 
near  around  that  region.  Another  congrega- 
tion in  the  province  of  New  Jersey,  had  re- 
quested that  their  assistant,  Mr.  Kurtz,  might 
be  assigned  to  them  for  a  time,  and  in  the 
meanwhile  also  a  preacher  be  written  for,  for 


I  I  8  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

them.  In  consequence  hereof,  Mr.  Kurtz  was 
on  the  1 8th  of  March,  1746,  sent  to  them  for  a 
season,  in  whose  absence  the  young  man  men- 
tioned before,  whom  pastor  Muhlenberg  other- 
wise made  use  of  to  keep  school  in  Providence, 
has  the  oversight  of  the  school  in  New  Hanover 
under  the  supervision  of  Mr.  Vigera.  At  the 
desire  of  said  congregation,  pastor  Muhlenberg 
also  not  only  visited  them  several  times  during 
last  year,  and  instructed  twenty-four  adults, 
and  prepared  them  to  partake  of  the  holy 
Supper,  but  also  twice  during  the  present  year  ; 
and  pastor  Brunnholtz,  according  to  his  last 
letter,  also  intended  to  go  there  once  this  sum- 
mer. The  German  Lutherans,  at  the  Maquai- 
schen  River,  in  the  province  of  New  York, 
have  also  solicited  them  for  a  preacher,  to 
whom,  however,  they  as  yet  promise  nothing 
with  certainty.  In  the  meanwhile,  in  all  letters 
they  most  earnestly  entreat  us,  at  the  desire 
of  the  congregations  and  in  their  name,  to  se- 
lect two  capable  men,  to  call  and  send  them, 
for  their  preachers.  But  it  depends  upon  the 
Lord  himself,  and  his  gracious  government 
and  aid,  to  show  the  persons  suitable  thereto, 
and  to  remove  the  obstacles;  among  which  one 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  II9 

of  the  greatest  is  this,  that  the  congregations 
are  as  yet  unable  to  pay  the  expenses  of  the 
voyage,  but  ask  that  the  same  might  be  ad- 
vanced from  the  benefits  received  for  Phila- 
delphia, Providence,  and  places  belonging 
thereto,  to  which  they  would  again  restore  the 
same,  to  pay  their  debts  for  the  building  of 
churches;  for  which,  however,  since  the  bene- 
fits which  were  sent  to  them  until  now,  only  a 
small  portion  has  arrived,  so  that  no  advance 
can  be  taken  from  it  for  such  a  voyage. 

§  18.  But  God,  who  can  do  exceedingly 
more  above  all  than  we  ask  or  understand,  is 
abundantly  able  also  to  remove  these  and 
other  hindrances,  and  also  will  in  his  time, 
and  make  known  thereby,  that  he  rules  all 
circumstances  for  the  advancement  of  this 
thing,  and  shows  the  means  and  the  way 
thereby.  In  the  meantime,  it  is  our  duty 
humbly  to  praise  his  name  for  that  which  he 
has  already  done,  and  present  before  him  the 
need  of  the  congregations  yet  unprovided,  in 
fervent  and  believing  prayer,  and  call  upon 
him,  that  he  also  will  let  his  kingdom  come  unto 
these,  and  grant  them  the  opportunity  to  hear 
his  word,  and  learn  from   it  the  way  how  they 


120  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

may  come  to  him  through  Christ,  and  save 
their  souls  from  everlasting  destruction — which 
call  may  he  graciously  hear  for  his  eternal 
mercy's  sake,  according  to  which  he  has  no 
pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  sinner,  but  that 
he  may  repent  and  live.  But  to  those  congre- 
gations which  now  have  opportunity  to  hear 
God's  word  preached  abundantly,  may  he  grant 
obedient  hearts  to  accept  it,  and  to  their 
teachers  more  and  more  power  and  grace,  still 
to  publish  to  them  the  counsel  of  God  for  their 
salvation,  unwearily  and  in  rich  blessing. 
Finally,  may  he  also,  through  grace,  repay  such 
kindness  to  all  patrons  and  benefactors,  who 
hitherto  came  to  help  of  these  congregations 
with  their  loving  gifts,  and  the  same  be  to  him 
as  a  sweet  savor  and  an  acceptable  offering, 
and  again,  fill  all  their  wants,  according  to  his 
riches,  in  the  glory  in  Christ  Jesus.  But  to 
God  and  our  Father  be  glory  for  ever  and 
ever.     Amen. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

THIRD  CONTINUATION  OF  THE  REPORT  OF  SEV- 
ERAL EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CONGREGATIONS 
IN  AMERICA,    ESPECIALLY  IN  PENNSYLVANIA. 

I .  Report  of  the  circumstances  generally,  which 
hitherto  transpired  in  these  congregations. 

The  works  of  God  have  little  show  before 
the  world.  They  are  wont  to  have  small  be- 
ginnings, and  to  advance  under  much  pressure 
and  diverse  trials.  God,  for  the  most  part, 
employs  small,  and  in  the  eyes  of  the  world 
despised  instruments ;  but  which  in  his  and  in 
the  eyes  of  his  children,  are  esteemed  glorious. 
Outwardly,  these  create  no  great  surprise  nor 
pomp.  Besides,  the  world  regards  nothing 
less,  than  that  which  God  does  in  his  kingdom 
of  grace,  so  that  in  this  respect  also,  the  word 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  is  being  fulfilled  :  The  king- 
dom of  God  cometh  not  with  obsei'vation,  Luke 
xvii.  20.  Nevertheless,  the  work  of  God,  and 
whatever   his  servants   begin  in   true  faith,  for 

II  (    121) 


122  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

the  spreading  abroad  and  the  glorification  of 
his  name,  does,  as  long  as  it  pleases  him  to  give 
his  blessing  thereto,  grow  and  increase,  and 
therein,  according  to  Matt.  xiii.  31,  32,  is  like 
a  grain  of  mustard  seed,  which  is  the  least  of  all 
seeds ;  but  from  which  a  great  tree  grows. 
Yet  the  works  of  the  Lord,  even  in  their  first, 
and  as  yet  low  beginning,  deserve  more  atten- 
tion, and  are  more  important,  than  all  the  deeds 
of  man ;  inasmuch  as  one  soul  saved  from  ever- 
lasting destruction,  is  of  much  more  value  than 
the  whole  world  and  all  its  treasures.  As 
little  therefore  as  those  who  permit  no  earnest 
care  for  their  own  souls'  salvation  to  arise 
within  them,  concern  themselves  about  that 
which  God  does  for  the  salvation  of  the  souls 
of  others,  so  heartily,  on  the  contrary,  the 
children  of  God,  whom  God  has  chosen  out  of 
the  world,  rejoice  when  they  hear  that  else- 
where also,  in  the  distance,  yea  even  in  other 
parts  of  the  world,  God  shows  many  souls  the 
same  mercy  which  they  experienced  in  them- 
selves, or  when  he  only  begins  to  extend  his 
kingdom  in  other  places,  and  to  permit  the  lost 
sheep  to  be  sought ;  and  from  the  heart  they 
praise  his  name  also,  for  the  least  blessing 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 23 

§  2.  That  which  God  has  hitherto  done 
among  several  Lutheran  congregations  of  the 
new  German  settlers  in  Pennsylvania,  is  a  bles- 
sing which  is  as  yet  like  a  small  grain  of  mustard 
seed,  and  first  began  to  bloom  eight  years  ago, 
when  pastor  Muhlenberg,  of  Halle,  was  first 
sent  to  said  congregations,  and  after  he  arrived 
in  Philadelphia  on  the  25th  of  November,  1742, 
and  found  a  blessed  entrance  there,  with  the 
word  of  God.  In  the  year  1744,  the  second 
preacher,  Mr.  Brunnholtz,  besides  two  assist- 
ants, Messrs.  Schaum  and  Kurtz,  were  sent 
after  him,  and  arrived  in  Pennsylvania  in  the 
beginning  of  the  year  1745.  The  difficulties 
which  they  at  first  encountered  in  these  con- 
gregations, but  how  God  very  powerfully  aided 
them  to  overcome  these,  and  to  set  the  worship 
of  God  in  good  order  again,  also  for  this  ob- 
ject to  erect  two  churches  in  a  short  time  in 
Philadelphia  and  New  Providence,  with  large 
expense  and  small  means ;  and  how  the  Lord 
especially  powerfully  blessed  their  office  to 
many  souls — all  this,  with  more,  is  to  be  seen 
from  that  which  was  already  published  in  the 
year  1 744,  and  in  the  short  report  reprinted 
this  year,  besides  the  two  continuations  of  it, 
whereof  the  last  was  printed  in  1746. 


124  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

§  3.  Now,  after  many  inquiries  have  hitherto 
been  made,  and  a  desire  manifested  by  many, 
that  something  might  be  made  known  of  the 
further  progress  of  this  blessing  in  the  congre- 
gations in  Pennsylvania,  it  certainly  was 
reasonable  (as  many  dear  patrons  and  bene- 
factors in  the  kindest  manner  sent  in  their 
generous  contributions,  for  the  advancement 
of  this  blessing),  that  by  this  notice  an  ac- 
count, as  it  were,  be  given  them,  how  their 
benefactions  were  applied,  and  what  was 
hitherto  accomplished.  That  this  could  not 
be  done  sooner,  was  chiefly  occasioned  by  the 
loss  of  the  principal  and  most  circumstantial 
letters  of  the  preachers,  which  were  in  part  on 
the  ships  taken  by  the  Spaniards  and  the 
French,  and  in  part  also  on  vessels  wrecked  in 
storm  The  other  letters  which  arrived,  con- 
tained no  sufficient  account  of  the  condition 
of  things  there,  which  would  be  satisfactory  to 
the  Christian  reader.  Although  some  letters 
are  still  back,  and  especially  a  full  account  from 
pastor  Brunnholtz  of  his  official  transactions 
hitherto,  which  was  also  lost,  and  could  not  as 
yet  be  re-written  and  sent  by  him,  on  account 
of   frequent  sickness,  and  want  of  time   and 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 25 

strength ;  yet  were  we  unwilling  to  delay 
longer,  in  making  known  the  most  important 
circumstances  noticed  in  the  letters  received, 
and  whatever  transpired  hitherto  in  relation  to 
these  congregations.  Such  intelligence,  how- 
ever, will  only  be  briefly  given  at  this  time. 
The  greater  part  of  it  will  be  further  explained 
and  confirmed  in  the  fuller  reports  which  will 
be  communicated  in  the  following  continua- 
tions. In  the  next  continuation  especially, 
which  with  the  help  of  God  is  to  be  published 
yet  this  autumn,  the  beginning  of  an  edifying 
report  from  pastor  Muhlenberg  of  his  official 
transactions  in  these  congregations  is  to  be 
brought  to  light ;  and  this,  besides  other  letters 
and  intelligence,  be  gradually  fully  made  known, 
in  the  following  continuations,  for  the  edifica- 
tion of  the  Christian  reader. 

§  4.  In  this  first  section,  then,  intelligence  is 
to  be  communicated  of  the  circumstances  gen- 
erally, which  have  transpired,  of  which  the  first 
and  most  important  is,  that  again  a  new 
preacher  was  called  and  sent  to  Pennsylvania. 
It  is  known  from  the  second  continuation,  that 
it  was  then  already  mentioned,  how  the  preach- 
ers, as  several  congregations  applied  to  them  for 


126  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

teachers,  in  all  their  letters  most  urgently  en- 
treated, that  two  capable  men  be  most  speedily- 
called  as  preachers,  and  sent  to  Pennsylvania. 
Now,  after  this  desire  was  still  more  pressingly 
repeated  in  the  letters  following,  Dr.  and  Prof. 
Franke  also,  from  that  time,  earnestly  exerted 
himself  to  fulfill  the  same. 

§  5.  Mr.  John  Frederick  Handschuch,  from 
Halle,  who  had  hitherto  labored  as  collaborator 
at  Graba  in  Salfeld,  was  for  some  time  al- 
ready known  to  him,  as  a  man  who  was  as 
little  deficient  in  solid  studies,  and  the  capacity 
required  for  the  preacher's  office,  as  in  genuine 
faithfulness,  and  who  also  had  already  attained 
to  much  experience  and  exercise  in  his  office. 
Thus  he  did  not  hesitate  to  permit  the  call,  in 
the  name  of  the  preachers  and  of  the  congre- 
gations in  Pennsylvania,  to  come  to  him. 
After  examining  and  having  recognized  the 
will  of  God,  he  accepted  the  same,  already  in 
July,  1746,  after  God  had  before  prepared  his 
heart  for  such  a  resolve,  and  released  it  from 
attachment  to  earthly  things.  As  he  expressed 
it  himself,  since  the  great  change  of  his  heart, 
that  he  had  given  himself  wholly  and  without 
any  reserve  to  his,  with   respect  to  himself,  so 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 27 

highly  meritorious,  good  and  gracious  Lord,  to 
let  himself  be  used  in  his  kingdom,  and  sent 
as  and  whither  it  may  seem  good  to  him,  and 
desired  nothing  more,  than  only  to  become 
right  obedient  and  very  useful  to  him,  and  be 
able  to  spread  abroad  his  glory  and  his  king- 
dom ;  and  also  that  he  would  gladly,  according 
to  his  gracious  will,  venture  upon  it  body  and 
life,  goods  and  blood,  every  advantage  and 
honor  of  this  temporal  life,  for  the  sake  of 
highly  honoring  his  Lord  and  God,  to  ac- 
knowledge him  honestly  before  the  world ;  and 
also,  for  the  sake  of  one  soul,  to  save  it,  to 
undertake  ever  so  much.  He  continues  :  the 
fatigue  of  the  voyage,  with  his  bodily  infirmi- 
ties, at  first  indeed  gave  him  some  concern;  but 
after  he  had  given  himself  to  God  in  prayer, 
he  was  enabled  to  say  to  his  heart :  What 
then  have  you  to  say  to  it,  if  now  your  Lord 
would  have  you  go  there  ?  And  as  it  ever 
and  always  was  his  manner,  for  the  most  part, 
to  employ  in  his  kingdom  the  most  miserable, 
the  weakest  and  the  most  despised,  he  was  as- 
sured, if  God  sent  him  to  America  there  to 
help  build  up  his  kingdom  of  grace,  then  he 
also  will  and  must  give  power  and  strength  suf- 


128  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

ficient,  as  he  acknowledges   himself  unfit  and 
unworthy. 

§  6.  As  it  was  the  intention  to  send  two  new 
fellow-laborers,  according  to  the  above-men- 
tioned desire  of  the  Pennsylvania  congrega- 
tions and  their  preachers,  it  was  thought  best, 
that  pastor  Handschuch  should  tarry  over  win- 
ter at  Halle,  during  which  time  they  would 
use  all  possible  diligence  to  discover  yet  an- 
other suitable  instrument,  who  in  the  follow- 
ing spring  could  enter  upon  the  voyage  with 
him,  to  Pennsylvania.  Some  not  unsuitable 
candidates  were  indeed  also  proposed,  and 
the  call  actually  extended  to  one  now,  and 
then  again  to  another.  But  everywhere, 
partly  from  the  relatives  and  partly  from  the 
persons  themselves  who  were  proposed,  so 
many  hindrances  occurred,  that  the  divine  will 
could  not  be  recognized  in  that  matter  ; — since, 
in  the  works  of  God,  nothing  can  be  forced, 
and  all  the  experienced  servants  of  God  are 
wont  to  observe  the  signs  of  the  divine  gov- 
ernment and  providence,  that  they  may  follow 
them,  so  far  as  they  are  able  to  recognize  them, 
but  where  these  are  lost,  stand  still,  and  wait 
for  the  Lord  by  the  direction  of  circumstances, 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 29 

further  to  reveal  his  will  to  them,  and  thus 
permit  themselves  to  be  guided  by  his  eyes, 
and  the  hints  he  gives  to  them.  Thus  it  was 
considered  as  more  advisable,  since  it  did  not 
please  God  to  point  out  the  other  preacher,  to 
rest  in  his  will,  and  in  the  meanwhile  send  pas- 
tor Handschuch  alone.  Perhaps  the  congre- 
gation over  which  such  another  preacher  might 
have  been  placed,  had  not  as  yet  earnestly 
enough  called  upon  God  for  a  faithful  teacher, 
or  had  not  as  yet  become  sufficiently  eager  for 
the  word  of  God.  However,  God  will  in  his 
time  find  for  himself  some  faithful  assistants, 
and  send  them  out  into  this  most  extensive 
vineyard,  in  which  the  harvest  is  great,  but  the 
laborers  still  few.  But  how,  in  the  meanwhile, 
those  congregations  which  stood  in  the  most 
need  were  cared  for,  will  with  more  appear 
from  that  which  follows. 

'  §  7.  In  the  meanwhile  June  had  arrived,  and 
the  departure  of  pastor  Handschuch  dared  no 
longer  be  delayed.  He  therefore  left,  in  the 
name  of  God,  on  the  second  of  said  month,  to 
go  to  England  by  way  of  Hamburg,  and  safely 
arrived  in  London  on  the  4th  of  July,  and  re- 
mained there  about  six  weeks,  and  embarked 
I 


130  REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

on  the  25th  of  September  at  Gravesend,  and 
reached  Philadelphia  only  on  the  5th  of  April, 
1748.  As  he  experienced  many  things  on  this 
long  voyage,  and  many  remarkable  circumstan- 
ces are  found  among  those  which  he  recorded 
from  day  to  day,  it  will  not  be  amiss  to  the 
kind  reader  if  in  the  next  section  of  this  con- 
tinuation we  add  a  brief  extract  from  his  diur- 
nal register. 

§  8.  After  the  arrival  of  pastor  Handschuch 
in  Pennsylvania,  and  the  accustomed  mature 
consideration,  it  was  resolved  that  he  should 
undertake  the  care  of  the  Lutheran  congrega- 
tion at  Lancaster,  which  also  accepted  him  as 
ther  preacher  on  the  16th  of  May,  1748, 
whereupon  he  preached  his  introductory  ser- 
mon there  on  the  26th  of  said  month,  which 
appears  below  among  other  things,  from  his 
own  diary,  where  at  the  same  time  an  account 
is  given  of  the  congregation  at  Earlstown, 
which  on  certain  conditions  was  united  with 
the  congregation  in  Lancaster  as  a  second 
church.  But  in  relation  to  Lancaster  itself, 
pastor  Handschuch  describes  this  town  in  the 
following  letter,  of  the  7th  of  October,  1748. 
He  writes  :    "According  to  the  gracious  will  of 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1  3  I 

God  and  the  judgment  of  my  dear  brethren,  I 
am  already  in  Lancaster  over  four  months,  a 
town  of  about  four  hundred  houses,  to  which 
more  are  still  added.  It  is  64  English  (16 
German)  miles  from  Philadelphia,  and  is  chiefly 
inhabited  by  Germans.  On  account  of  the 
good  means  of  living,  people  still  move  to  this 
place,  so  that  it  may  likely  in  a  few  years  be- 
come a  large  and  populous  town.  It  contains 
one  tolerably  large  Lutheran,  one  not  as  yet 
wholly  finished  English,  one  Reformed,  one 
small  Catholic,  and  one  Zinzendorf  church. 
Through  parson  Nyberg,  who  had  been  a  Lu- 
theran, the  Zinzendorfers  occasioned  many  di- 
visions and  offences,  not  only  among  the  Luth- 
erans, but  also  among  the  Reformed.  Since  I 
am  here,  Mr.  Spangenberg  was  in  this  place 
perhaps  four  times;  and  as  I  hear,  he  exerts  all 
his  cunning  and  industry  to  keep  his  people 
together,  and  to  make  our  church  suspected  by 
them." 

§  9.  Thereupon  Mr.  Handschuch  continues 
in  said  letter,  to  give  the  following  account  of 
his  labors  also :  "  I  have  work  enough  in  this 
place.  I  make  a  sketch  of  every  sermon, 
meditate  on  it  thoroughly,  and  prove  it  accord- 


132        REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

ing  to  the  word  of  God,  as  much  as  time  per- 
mits. Then  I  speak  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
and  care  for  no  man,  whatever  religion  or  sect 
he  may  be.  My  hearers  often  consist  of  diverse 
sects,  never  as  yet  heard  of.  Of  a  real  blessing, 
I  cannot  as  yet  boast  much,  unless  outward 
approbation  could  be  called  a  blessing.  The 
youth,  so  very  numerous,  give  me  the  most  joy 
and  hope.  Every  Sunday  afternoon  I  have  a 
repetition  of  the  sermon,  and  catechetical  in- 
struction. I  then  mostly  have  from  seventy  to 
eighty  young  people,  adults  and  children, 
standing  around  me,  who  intentionally  seek  to 
anticipate  each  other.  The  rest,  who  do  not 
belong  to  our  congregation,  remain  sitting  in 
their  places,  and  listen  attentively.  Our  school 
is  ever  increasing,  so  that  we  were  recently 
necessitated  to  dismiss  sixteen  English  chil- 
dren, for  want  of  room.  In  truth,  if  Nyberg 
had  not  occasioned  the  disturbances  and  divis- 
ions here,  and  if  our  people  were  more,  and 
more  earnestly  concerned  for  the  building  up 
of  the  kingdom  of  God,  the  congregation  in 
Lancaster  should  gradually  have  become  the 
strongest,  and  by  an  abundant  and  faithful 
preaching  of  the  word   of  God,  and  with  the 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 33 

divine  aid,  the  most  blessed,  in  the  whole  land. 
But  the  injury  done  by  him  is  nigh  irrepara- 
ble. I  neglect  no  opportunity  to  preach  pub- 
licly. Marriages  and  funerals  I  also  take,  to 
help  as  much  as  possible.  To  God's  mercy  I 
would  hope,  it  may  not  pass  wholly  empty 
and  without  a  blessing.  I  instruct  the  young 
people  twice  every  week,  who  are  being  pre- 
pared for  the  holy  Supper,  of  whom  there  are 
thirty-three;  and  some  among  them  are  very 
ignorant,  and  several  have  to  go  perhaps  nine 
English  miles  to  my  house.  It  is  seldom  that 
one  fails.  For  my  dear  brethren  in  office, 
Messrs.  Muhlenberg  and  Brunnholtz  (he  adds 
in  conclusion),  I  cannot  sufficiently  thank  God. 
Only  I  am  very  sorry  that  we  live  so  far  from 
each  other,  and  can  so  seldom  be  together. 
However,  our  diligent  exchange  of  letters  com- 
pensates for  this,  in  some  measure.  Next 
week  Mr.  Muhlenberg  goes  to  Tulpehocken, 
whither  I  go  also,  that  we  may  confer  with  each 
other.  The  Lord  permit  all  to  conduce  to  the 
glory  of  his  name,  and  to  the  solid  building  up 
of  his  kingdom  of  erace,  in  this  land,  for  the 

DO'  > 

sake  of  his  goodness  and  truth  !" 

§  10.  Of  the  dissensions  and  divisions  men- 


134       REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

tioned  in  the  foregoing  letter,  which  were  occa- 
sioned by  the  preacher  Nyberg  in  Lancaster, 
the  circumstances  most  clearly  and  particularly 
appear  from  the  following  narration  of  pastor 
Muhlenberg,  which  is  taken  from  the  transmit- 
ted continuation  of  the  year  1747.  He  writes  : 
"  On  the  evening  of  the  28th  of  June,  I  was  here 
in  York,  invited  as  a  guest  by  the  justice  of  the 
peace,  who  was  Reformed  and  was  a  particu- 
lar friend  of  a  preacher  at  that  time,  as  yet  in- 
clined to  the  Herrnhuter.  He  had  also  invited 
several  of  his  relations,  who  were  wardens 
here,  and  had  been  captivated  by  Mr.  Nyberg. 
I  suspected  that  the  conversation  would  be  di- 
rected to  Mr.  Nyberg  and  the  Herrnhuter,  and 
therefore  permitted  a  few  of  the  wardens  of  the 
congregations  to  be  present,  that  I  might  have 
witnesses,  and  so  that  my  words  could  not  be 
perverted.  They  then  asked  me,  after  some 
other  conversation,  how  it  happened  that  we 
could  not  harmonize  with  Mr.  Nyberg.  As 
those  present,  and  the  justice  of  the  peace 
himself  also,  desired  a  candid  answer,  I  said 
that  I  would  so  relate  the  whole  course  with 
Mr.  Nyberg,  as  I  could  prove  the  same  before 
God,  the  government,  and  the  whole  church, 
from  documents  in  hand. 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 35 

§  II.  "My  narrative  therefore  was  this: 
The  present  split  congregation  at  Lancaster, 
was  several  years  ago  a  large  and  numerous 
congregation.  They  desired  a  genuine  Luth- 
eran preacher,  and  on  that  account  petitioned 
to  his  Reverence,  the  Archbishop  of  Sweden, 
by  a  Swedish  merchant  in  Philadelphia,  and  re- 
quested a  teacher  according  to  the  holy  Scrip- 
ture, the  Augsburg  Confession,  and  the  other 
symbolical  books.  The  congregation  col- 
lected the  money  for  traveling,  sent  it  before- 
hand, and  patiently  awaited  the  arrival  of  a 
preacher.  Mr.  Nyberg,  according  to  his  own. 
declaration,  desired  at  first  to  learn  engineering, 
but  afterwards  chanced  upon  theology,  upon 
which,  however,  he  could  bestow  but  little 
time,  because  he  came  to  it  late.  According 
to  the  assertions  of  some  persons,  known  by 
name,  he,  when  he  had  finished  his  academi- 
cal years,  had  been  preceptor  with  a  certain 
Count  in  Sweden,  and  was  finally  recommended 
to  the  Consistory  by  his  principal,  when  he 
discovered,  that  there  was  a  call  with  the  Con- 
sistory from  Pennsylvania.  Mr.  Nyberg  then 
himself  sought  this  call,  through  the  interces- 
sion of  his  principal,  after  he   had  before  ob- 


I36  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

tained  intelligence  of  the  Zinzendorfer  denom- 
ination, through  a  certain  one  called  Gradin, 
and  was  delighted  with  their  plans.  As  he 
now  knew  that  Count  Zinzendorf  sought  to 
establish  his  cause  in  Pennsylvania,  he  thought 
to  get  into  the  proper  element,  by  means  of 
the  call  to  that  place.  In  the  examination,  he 
assumed  to  be  a  genuine  Lutheran,  and  did  not 
hesitate  to  swear  to  the  Symbolical  books,  al- 
though in  heart  he  had  accepted  the  Zinzen- 
dorfer plans. 

§  12.  "Thereupon,  this  Mr.  Nyberg  went  from 
Sweden  to  London.  In  London  he  first  sought 
for  Mr.  Spangenberg,  and  the  Moravian  breth- 
ren, and  was  received  into  their  community. 
Mr.  Spangenberg,  however,  who  was  just  on 
the  point  of  going  to  Pennsylvania  also,  did 
not  think  it  advisible  to  depart  with  him  on 
the  same  ship,  but  they  set  out  each  alone,  on 
different  vessels ;  and  as  the  one  arrived  in 
Pennsylvania  unknown  to  the  other,  the  Penn- 
sylvanians  would  be  without  suspicion,  and  re- 
ceive him  as  an  orthodox  Lutheran  preacher. 
They  both  related  this  to  Mr.  Conrad  Weiser 
in  Tulpehocken,  and  boasted  of  it  as  a  special 
cleverness.       The   Swedish   preacher,    Mr.    M. 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 37 

Nyberg,  had  come  into  the  country  some  time 
sooner,  and  had  related  to  me  and  to  Mr.  Koch 
somewhat  of  Mr.  Nyberg's  attachment  to  the 
Herrnhuter.  When  afterwards  he  had  come 
into  the  country  himself,  he  was  asked  by  Mr. 
Koch  and  myself,  whether  he  was  acquainted 
with  Count  Zinzendorf,  his  doctrine  and  his 
plans  ?  He  wholly  denied  everything,  saying 
that  he  knew  no  one  but  Mr.  Gradin  in  Sweden. 
§  13.  "The  congregation  in  Lancaster  re- 
ceived him  as  an  angel  of  God,  and  accepted 
him  as  their  preacher,  but  with  the  condition 
that  he  show  himself  such  an  one  as  they  had 
written  for,  and  continue  in  the  pure  Lutheran 
doctrine.  O,  had  the  man  been  impartial  in  re- 
spect to  the  Moravian  sect,  and  a  converted 
faithful  steward,  according  to  the  Lutheran 
doctrine,  and  had  cultivated  the  field  pointed 
out  to  him  with  faithfulness  and  patience,  he 
would  have  gathered  a  great  harvest  for  the 
Lord  Jesus  into  his  barn  !  When,  however,  he 
had  once  entered  into  the  plan  of  the  Zinzen- 
dorfer,  his  preaching,  catechising,  and  his  in- 
tercourse with  the  members  of  the  congrega- 
tion, was  nothing  else  than  a  constant  pulling 
down  of  the  Lutheran  doctrine,  and  a  building 


I38  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

up  of  his  accepted  Zinzendorfer  schemes.  He 
ridiculed  the  main  doctrines  of  the  law,  of  re- 
pentance, faith,  holiness,  prayer  and  combat, 
etc.  He  mutilated  the  holy  doctrine  of  Christ 
Jesus,  of  his  person,  nature,  offices  and  states, 
and  excused  himself  with  a  denial,  when  asked 
concerning  his  communion  with  the  Herrnhuter. 
Yet  he  carried  on  a  secret  correspondence  with 
them,  visited  their  meetings  and  conferences,  and 
from  the  pulpit  denounced  those  as  liars,  who 
said  that  he  had  intercourse  with  the  Zinzen- 
dorfer. He  flattered  those  over  measure,  who 
were  inclined  to  bow  their  heads  to  his  designs. 
He  represented  me,  my  brethren  and  officials, 
to  his  congregation,  and  also  on  occasion  in 
part  to  our  own  members,  as  most  dangerous 
people.  Finally  he  took  a  Herrnhuter  sister 
to  wife.  As  he  now  thought  of  closing  his  net, 
a  large  conference  of  Zinzendorfer  from  Beth- 
lehem was  arranged  for,  in  Lancaster,  by  means 
of  a  private  correspondence.  This  was  at 
Advent,  1745.  He  appointed  the  quarters  for 
the  numerous  brethren  who  were  coming,  ob- 
tained the  key  of  the  town-house,  visited  the 
conference ;  his  members,  whom  he  had  won 
over,  he  led  along  into  it,  and  laughed  at  the 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 39 

other  wardens,  who  warned  and  entreated  him, 
that  he  should  not  go  into  the  conference. 

§  14.  "  Now,  when  the  remaining  wardens 
and  members  of- the  congregation,  who  protes- 
ted against  him,  saw  that  he  publicly  turned  to 
the  Herrnhuter  party,  they  refused  the  church 
to  him  on  the  following  Sunday,  and  guarded  it. 
He  came,  however,  with  his  adherents,  took  the 
church  by  force,  and  preached  to  his  people 
with  locked  doors.  The  protesting  party  there- 
upon twice  petitioned  the  Governor,  who 
ordered  the  church  to  be  locked.  But  he  with 
his  followers  went  to  the  Governor,  and  took 
recommendations  along  with  him,  from  several 
creditable  English  gentlemen,  and  said  to  the 
Governor  that  he  was  a  genuine,  pure  Luth- 
eran, sent  by  the  Archbishop,  and  not  a  Mo- 
ravian brother,  and  that  his  opponents  were 
restless  and  rebellious  people.  Now  the  Eng- 
lish government,  indeed,  can  decide  no  religious 
questions,  and  has  only  to  care  for  the  political 
peace.  The  Governor,  however,  gave  him  this 
advice,  that  he  should  have  the  matter  in  dis- 
pute investigated  by  other  German  and  Swedish 
preachers  in  this  country.  He  answered  that 
no  one  could  inquire   into  his  case  except  the 


140  REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

Archbishop  of  Sweden  (because  he  was  at  the 
greatest  distance).  The  Governor  looked  at 
the  recommendations  of  the  English  gentle- 
men, and  directed  that  they  should  again  open 
the  church  for  him.  When  the  protesting 
party  likewise  inquired,  how  they  were  to 
conduct  themselves,  the  Governor  referred 
them  to  a  formal  suit  at  law,  which  however,  is 
here  wont  to  be  very  tedious  and  expensive. 

§  15.  **  Mr.  Nyberg  thereupon  preached  to  his 
adherents  each  Sunday  forenoon,  and  the  pro- 
testing party  went  to  church  in  the  afternoon, 
and  read  a  sermon  from  a  book.  And  thus 
matters  continued  for  a  time.  At  length  the 
latter  also  for  once  desired  to  have  divine  ser- 
vice in  the  forenoon,  on  a  festival-day.  But 
when  Mr,  Nyberg  and  his  people  were  unwill- 
ing to  grant  this,  and  answered,  they  must  be 
satisfied  that  they  can  have  church  in  the  after- 
noon, they  were  thereby  very  much  provoked, 
and  again  locked  and  nailed  the  church  on 
every  side,  and  prevented  Mr.  Nyberg  from 
entering.  This  so  violently  offended  the  Zin- 
zendorfer,  that  they  accused  eight  of  the  most 
prominent  men  of  the  protesting  party  to  the 
authorities,  as  common  disturbers  of  the  peace, 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  I4I 

and  cited  them  to  appear  at  the  next  great 
court-day.  In  the  meanwhile  the  church  had 
to  remain  locked  until  the  judicial  decision. 
The  court-day  drew  near.  The  Nyberg  party 
thought  they  would  certainly  win,  and  obtain 
the  church,  and  the  others  return  again,  sub- 
mit to  their  plan,  and  ask  pardon.  We  re- 
ceived an  account  of  everything,  and  were  un- 
ceasingly entreated  to  be  present  on  court-day, 
and  assist  the  forsaken  protesting  party,  ac- 
cording to  our  ability.  I  and  my  colleague, 
Brunnholtz,  traveled  to  that  place,  preached 
twice  for  the  protesting  party  on  Sunday  before, 
in  a  private  house.  When  the  matter  in  dis- 
pute came  up,  Mr.  Nyberg  and  many  others 
of  his  party  swore  against  the  eight  men,  and 
earnestly  desired  to  have  them  convicted  of  a 
breach  of  the  peace,  according  to  the  laws  of 
this  country.  Before  the  suit  began,  we  made 
every  possible  proposal,  for  the  peace  and  union 
of  the  two  parties.  With  the  Zinzendorfer, 
however,  it  was  all  in  vain.  They  employed 
the  two  keenest  lawyers,  and  gave  them  money 
enough.  The  other  party  had  a  lawyer  less  ex- 
perienced. But  the  judicial  decision  unexpect- 
edly resulted  in  the  declaration  that  the  eight 
men  were  innocent. 


142        REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

§  1 6.  "  Now  matters  remained  as  they  were, 
because  it  was  not  decided  which  party  should 
have  the  church,  and  therefore  the  church  still 
remained  locked.  The  Zinzendorfer  main- 
tained that  they  were  the  Lutherans ;  the  others, 
on  the  contrary  said  that  they  were  the  Luth- 
erans; and  the  authorities  could  not  well  decide 
such  a  case  according  to  the  English  laws. 
On  that  account  Mr.  Conrad  Weiser  and  an- 
other Judge  tried  anew,  after  the  court-day, 
whether  an  amicable  agreement  could  not  be 
reached  between  the  two  parties.  Mr.  Nyberg 
and  his  party,  however,  were  unwilling  to  yield, 
and  therefore  this  effort  also  failed.  In  the 
meanwhile,  he  still  preached  in  the  town-house. 
But  when  an  English  Justice  of  the  peace,  who 
had  been  his  great  friend,  fell  out  with  him 
also,  and  reported  to  the  Governor  that  Ny- 
berg was  a  Moravian  brother,  he  could  no 
longer  preach  in  the  town-house.  Some  time 
after,  viz.,  in  the  beginning  of  the  summer  of 
1746,  the  protesting  party  prevailed  with  me 
to  come  up  and  preach  for  them.  I  traveled 
up,  but  was  very  much  concerned  when  I  heard, 
the  day  before,  that  this  could  not  take  place 
in  the  church  without  a  disturbance.      For  the 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 43 

Zinzendorfer  told  me  boldly,  that  some  of  their 
people  would  set  themselves  in  opposition.  I 
resolved,  therefore,  for  this  time,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  avoiding  all  angry  tumult,  to  preach 
in  the  town  hall,  and  for  this  purpose  asked 
permission  from  the  town  Judge,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  several  Zinzendorfer.  Early  on  Sunday 
the  protesting  wardens  and  the  congregation 
came  together,  and  when  I  informed  them  that 
I  was  willing  to  preach  in  the  town  hall,  be- 
cause I  was  afraid  of  a  sinful  tumult,  they  ad- 
vanced their  reasons,  and  showed  that  it  would 
be  better  now  again  to  assert  the  right  to  the 
church.  This  I  could  not  decline,  but  still  I 
said  it  was  necessary  for  me  first  to  report  this 
to  the  English  town  Judge  and  the  Zinzendor- 
fer, because  I  had  the  day  before  asked  for  the 
town-house,  in  the  presence  of  the  Zinzendor- 
fer. This  was  accordingly  done.  I  wrote  an 
English  letter  to  the  Judge,  and  a  German  to 
the  Zinzendorfer,  and  sent  both  letters  half  an 
hour  before  the  opening  of  the  church.  We 
rang  the  bells  regularly,  and  quietly  went  to 
church.  I  preached  on  Luke  xiii.  6-9,  of  the 
withered  fig  tree,  etc.  Now,  Mr.  Nyberg  in- 
stigated his  adherents  to  build  a   new  church, 


144       REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

and  indeed  in  the  manner  of  the  Zinzendorfer, 
and  assign  it  according  to  their  plan. 

§  17.  "  Now  what  else  did  the  poor  man  ac- 
complish by  such  proceedings,  but  that  he  of- 
fended the  most  holy  God  by  his  dissimula- 
tion, occasioned  great  scandal,  made  many  un- 
necessary expenses  for  the  poor  congregation, 
and  exhibited  himself  as  a  liar  before  the  whole 
world,  because  numberless  times  he  had  said 
publicly  and  privately  that  he  had  no  inter- 
course with  the  Zinzendorfer,  that  he  was  no 
Moravian  brother,  but  a  genuine  Lutheran. 
The  poor  ignorant  multitude,  who  are  accus- 
tomed to  include  the  whole  in  individual  cases, 
said  aloud :  If  the  preachers  who  preach 
learnedly  and  in  an  edifying  manner  are  such 
conscienceless  deceivers,  whom  then,  in  all  the 
world,  shall  we  any  more  trust  ?  He  himself, 
however,  kept  a  bold  front,  and  said  that  he 
was  glad  that  the  Saviour  conducted  the  mat- 
ter to  so  glorious  an  issue.  So  it  must  be  ac- 
cording to  the  words  of  the  Saviour,  Matt.  x. 
34,  35  ;  1  Cor.  xi.  19.  All  those  present  who 
heard  this,  my  narration,  could  not  do  other- 
wise than  disapprove  of  the  conduct  of  Mr. 
Nyberg." 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 45 

§  18.  Thus  far  the  narrative  of  Mr.  Muhlen- 
berg. The  Lutheran  preachers  did  not  enter 
into  this  quarrel  of  the  Lutheran  congregation 
in  Lancaster,  with  parson  Nyberg,  or  have  any- 
thing to  do  with  it,  except  that  which,  after 
repeated  solicitations  on  the  part  of  the  Luth- 
erans, they,  in  virtue  of  their  office,  could  not 
refuse.  They  did  not  approve  of  the  hastiness 
of  the  Lutherans,  but,  as  elsewhere  reported, 
they  much  more  sought  to  restrain  them  from 
all  violence,  by  the  most  impressive  represen- 
tations. Nor  did  they  properly  take  part  in 
their  lawsuit,  but  labored  chiefly  to  prevent 
greater  disorders,  and  that  those  who  had  de- 
parted from  the  pure  word  of  God,  and  the 
genuine  doctrine  of  our  church,  might  be  won 
again,  and  the  matter  laid  aside  in  a  friendly 
manner.  Neither  did  they  insist  on  receiving 
this  congregation  and  providing  them  with  an- 
other preacher ;  but  they  would  much  rather 
have  seen  them  supplied  again  with  a  true 
preacher  from  Sweden,  or  that  other  Swedish 
preachers  had  cared  for  them.  But  as  the 
congregation  perceived  that  their  desise  for  a 
regularly-called  preacher  from  Sweden  could 
not   be  attained  without  much    loss   of  time, 


I46       REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

especially  as  the  German  candidates  in  Sweden 
are  scarce,  and  they,  viz.,  the  congregation, 
which  consists  of  born  Germans,  could  not 
always  sufficiently  understand  the  born  Swedes, 
although  they  had  learned  the  German  lan- 
guage, and  the  preaching  also,  in  the  German 
language,  was  too  burdensome  for  the  Swedish 
preachers  themselves ;  thus  the  congregation 
did  not  cease  urgently  to  entreat  pastors  Muhl- 
enberg and  Brunnholtz  to  let  them  have  one 
of  the  preachers  written  for  from  Germany,  of 
whom,  as  was  stated,  they  expected  two,  and 
until  their  arrival,  to  visit  them  occasionally, 
and  also  permit  them  to  be  visited  by  the 
assistant,  Mr.  Kurtz.  The  Swedish  preachers, 
who  were  in  Christian  harmony  with  them, 
declined  the  care  of  this  congregation,  and 
requested  them  to  take  charge  of  it.  As  they 
could  not  discard  them,  nor  forsake  this  con- 
gregation in  their  manifest  need,  they  not  only 
visited  them  several  times  themselves,  and 
administered  the  Holy  Supper,  but  Mr.  Kurtz, 
who  had  already  for  some  time  conducted  the 
worship  of  God  in  the  congregation  at  Tulpe- 
hocken,  had  also,  not  without  many  hardships, 
on   approval   of  the   preachers,  undertaken  to 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 47 

serve  this  congregation  at  Lancaster  along 
with  the  other.  He  remained  alternately  two 
weeks  at  Lancaster  and  two  weeks  at  Tulpe- 
hocken,  until  pastor  Handschuch  entered  upon 
his  office  there,  which  he  also,  according  to  the 
latest  intelligence,  exercises  among  them,  with 
much  blessing. 

§  19.  But  although  only  one  preacher  could 
be  sent,  yet  that  they  might  come  to  the  aid 
of  several  congregations  in  their  necessity,  it 
was  thought  proper  to  ordain  to  the  preacher's 
office,  the  assistants,  Messrs.  Kurtz  and  Schaum. 
In  the  business  entrusted  to  them  hitherto, 
they  had  shown  all  faithfulness  in  the  congre- 
gations, and  not  only  attained  to  still  more 
experience  and  aptness  for  the  ministerial 
office,  but  also  secured  the  love  and  confidence 
of  the  congregations.  For  this  purpose,  as 
well  as  for  the  closer  union  of  the  preachers, 
and  the  associated  congregations  among  them- 
selves, as  also  for  mutual  consultation  and  con- 
cert, in  relation  to  the  circumstances  of  all  the 
congregations,  a  meeting  of  the  preachers, 
elders  and  wardens  of  all  said  congregations, 
was  arranged  for  at  Philadelphia. 

§  20.  The  united  congregations  were  in  the 


I4-S  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

beginning  only  the  three  in  Philadelphia,  New 
Hanover  and  Providence,  which,  at  first,  in 
common,  applied  to  the  court-preacher  Ziegen- 
hagen,  in  London,  and  to  Dr.  and  Prof.  Franke, 
in  Halle,  and  requested  of  them  the  election 
and  calling  of  several  suitable  preachers  for 
them.  When  the  first  preacher,  Muhlenberg, 
arrived  in  Pennsylvania,  the  fourth  congrega- 
tion at  Germantown  united  with  these.  After- 
wards the  congregations  in  Tulpehocken  and 
Lancaster,  besides  those  at  Nordkiel  and  Ear- 
lingstown,  as  second  churches  of  these"'  last 
two,  joined  the  other  congregations.  Two 
small  congregations  at  Upper  Milford  and 
Saccum,  likewise  united  with  the  congregations 
in  Providence  and  New  Hanover,  as  out-par- 
ishes. From  all  these  congregations  the  dele- 
gated elders  and  wardens,  besides  the  preach- 
ers, appeared  at  this  meeting.  On  proper 
invitation,  there  were  present  also,  in  friendly 
confidence,  the  Swedish  provost,  Mr.  Sandin, 
and  Mr.  Hartwich,  a  preacher  called  by  the 
Reverend  members  of  the  Ministerium  in 
Hamburg,  at  the  desire  of  a  congregation  in 
Jersey,  and  sent  thither.  This  closer  union 
had  been  wished  for  and  desired  by  the.  con- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 49 

gregations,  and  five  years  before  an  attempt 
was  made  by  a  meeting,  which  at  that  time 
however  was  interrupted  and  failed,  through 
the  opposition  excited  by  the  preacher  Nyberg. 
But  in  this  meeting,  everything  passed  off 
peaceably,  and  all  the  congregations  obligated 
themselves  to  each  other,  to  remain  united  as 
one  congregation,  and  also,  in  like  manner,  for 
this  purpose,  to  meet  together  once  a  year. 

§21.  The  evangelical  congregation  at  Tul- 
pehocken  had  most  strongly  insisted,  that  they 
be  provided  with  a  regular  preacher,  and  ap- 
plied for  Mr.  Kurtz,  who  had  hitherto  served 
them  with  preaching  and  catechising.  On 
their  repeated  request,  Mr.  Kurtz  was  ap- 
pointed and  ordained  to  the  office  of  the 
evangelical  teacher,  by  the  preachers  of  the 
united  congregations  on  the  .14th  (25th)  of 
August,  1748,  in  presence  of  the  wardens  of 
the  congregations,  assembled  on  account  of 
the  appointed  synod,  and  in  presence  of  the 
Swedish  provost  and  preachers.  This  was 
after  he  was  examined  by  the  assembled  pas- 
tors, and  sufficiently  proved  in  reference  to  his 
fitness  for  exercising  the  office  of  the  evangel- 
cal   teacher,  and   the  congregation   had   given 


I50       REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

him  a  formal  call,  and  he  had  drawn  up  an 
obligation,  that  he  would  continue  in  the  pure 
doctrine  of  our  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church, 
according  to  the  word  of  God  and  our  confes- 
sions of  faith,  and  not  depart  from  it.  From 
this  time  he  faithfully  exercised  the  preacher's 
office  in  the  congregation  at  Tulpehocken. 

§  22.  Besides  the  above  mentioned,  there  is 
yet  another  congregation  in  York,  on  the  bor- 
ders of  Pennsylvania,  beyond  the  Susquehanna 
river,  twenty  English  or  five  German  miles 
from  Lancaster,  which  has  also  for  a  long  time 
already  sought  aid  from  the  Messrs.  Muhlen- 
berg and  Brunnholtz,  and  desired  to  be  received 
into  communion  and  union  with  the  other  con- 
gregations. In  the  spring  of  1748,  the  other 
assistant,  Mr.  Schaum,  was  assigned  to  them  for 
a  time.  The  distance,  however,  and  the  short- 
ness of  the  time,  prevented  him  and  the  dele- 
gates of  the  congregation  from  being  present 
at  the  above-mentioned  meeting  of  the  other 
congregations.  It  was  also  thought  proper, 
that  the  congregation  should  first  become  bet- 
ter acquainted  with  Mr.  Schaum,  and  some  dif- 
ficulties in  it  be  removed,  before  his  ordination 
took  place,  and  therefore   it  was  deferred  for 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  I  5  I 

the  present.  In  the  meanwhile,  he  had  shown 
all  faithfulness  to  the  congregation,  in  public 
and  private  instruction,  and  God  had  not  left 
his  labor  without  a  blessing ;  wherefore  the 
congregation  also  had  a  cordial  love  for,  and  a 
friendly  confidence  in  him.  There  being  no 
further  hesitancy  in  ordaining  him,  at  their 
request,  which  then  was  also  done,  by  the 
preachers  in  the  following  year,  at  the  second 
meeting  of  the  united  congregations  held  in 
Lancaster  in  the  month  of  June,  1749,  and  he 
was  appointed  as  their  regular  preacher. 

§  23.  These  are  the  principal  external  changes 
which  hitherto  occurred  among  these  congre- 
gations, to  which  is  yet  to  be  added  an  account 
of  the  building  of  churches,  and  the  kind 
benefactions  which  arrived  in  their  behalf.  The 
church  in  Philadelphia  was  so  far  completed, 
that  it  was  consecrated  on  the  25th  of  August, 
1748,  the  day  before  the  meeting  of  the  synod. 
The  ground  on  which  the  church  was  built, 
together  with  the  exterior  building,  had  cost 
1310^"  17s.  9^d.,  Pennsylvania  currency,  as 
already  stated  in  the  second  continuation. 
The  interior,  viz.,  the  pulpit,  pews,  windows, 
and  the  like,  cost  296^  16s.  u^d.,  Pennsyl- 


152  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

vania  money,  according  to  the  account  ren- 
dered in  the  year  1749.  Thus  the  whole  cost 
of  this  church  was,  in  Pennsylvania  money, 
1607^"  14s.  9%d.,  and  in  German  money, 
nearly  5,900  Rix  dollars.  Of  this  the  congre- 
gation yet  owed,  in  April,  1749,  77o£,  or  2823 
Rix  dollars  and  8  Kr.,  which,  until  payment, 
required  s\.6£  4s.,  nearly  370  Rix  dollars,  inter- 
est. Because  the  congregation,  and  the  num- 
ber of  hearers  at  preaching,  were  always  in- 
creasing, a  moderate  gallery  was  also  to  have 
been  built  in  the  summer  of  1746.  We  have 
however  no  intelligence,  as  yet,  whether  this 
was  actually  done,  or  at  what  cost.  For  the 
aforesaid  debt,  ten  responsible  men,  together 
with  pastors  Muhlenberg  and  Brunnholtz,  have 
become  surety,  and  had  to  assign  their  prop- 
erty therefor.  But  how  much  was  paid  of 
this  debt  since  April,  1749,  by  the  favors  trans- 
mitted from  Germany,  or  again,  how  much 
was  added  to  it,  by  the  erection  of  the  gallery, 
may  be  noticed  hereafter,  inasmuch  as  intelli- 
gence hereof  is  still  expected.  In  reference  to 
the  church  in  New  Providence,  it  was  already 
mentioned,  in  the  second  continuation,  that  it 
was  finished  and  also  consecrated,  and  proba- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  I  53 

bly  the  congregation  owes  but  little  more  on  it, 
or  perhaps  are  already  fully  paid,  of  which  also 
accurate  information  is  still  wanting.  At  New 
Hanover  the  unfinished  church  was  not  only 
wholly  completed,  but  a  new  school-house  was 
also  built,  and  some  acres  of  land  purchased, 
both  for  the  church  and  the  school.  All  this 
was  also  paid  for  with  the  portion  which  the 
congregation  received  of  the  favors  sent  from 
England  and  Germany,  and  by  the  contribu- 
tions from  their  own  means.  In  relation  to 
the  church  in  Germantown,  God  awakened  the 
high  princely  Consistory  of  Wiirtemberg,  by 
the  presentation  of  the  most  humble  petition 
by  a  member  of  the  congregation,  a  native  of 
Wiirtemberg,  to  graciously  grant  300  Fl.  from 
the  ecclesiastical  treasury,  as  a  kind  contribu- 
tion to  this  church. 

§  24.  As  from  a  letter  of  thanks  of  Nov. 
27th,  1748,  sent  by  pastor  Brunnholtz,  to  a 
chaplain  in  ordinary  to  a  prince  in  Wiirtem- 
berg, the  account  of  this  church  in  German- 
town  not  only  most  clearly  appears,  but  many 
other  circumstances  are  touched  upon,  and 
that  which  was  already  noticed  established,  we 
will  insert    an    extract   from  it :     "  Revd.  and 


154  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

highly  venerable  sir,  you  have  not  only  shown 
a  paternal  love  to  my  congregation  in  German- 
town,  in  the  most  humble  presentation  of  a 
petition,  to  you  and  to  the  high  princely  Con- 
sistory of  Wiirtemberg,  in  presenting  300  flor- 
ins from  your  ecclesiastical  treasury,  and 
transmitting  it  to  us,  but  you  have  taken  the 
trouble  to  notify  me  of  this  from  Stuttgard  by 
a  letter  of  the  13th  of  March.  Revd.  and 
highly  venerable  sir,  in  the  name  of  my  whole 
congregation  in  Germantown,  I  now  humbly 
and  cordially  thank  the  high  princely  Consis- 
tory, and  all  the  high  patrons,  by  whose  inter- 
cession the  contribution  was  secured,  and  as  in 
duty  bound  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  300 
florins  in  the  money  of  this  country,  which  was 
sent  by  exchange  from  London  to  this  place, 
with  the  assurance  that  the  congregation  will 
not  fail  to  include  them  as  their  dear  benefac- 
tors in  their  public  intercessions.  I  especially 
have  reason  to  humbly  give  thanks,  Revd. 
and  highly  venerable  sir,  for  the  joy  and  en- 
couragement, which  God  gave  to  me  by  your 
comforting  and  instructive  letter,  inasmuch  as 
I  can  assure  you,  that  it  was  as  a  balm  to  me 
in  this  wild  land,  in  distressed  circumstances, 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 55 

and  under  a  heavy  official  burden,  to  receive 
such  paternal  encouragement  from  you.  Revd. 
and  highly  venerable  sir,  I  sought  to  do  my 
duty  on  the  ioth  of  May  of  this  year,  by  send- 
ing a  letter  of  thanks  to  them  for  this  bene- 
faction. But  as  the  vessel  by  which  I  sent  it 
was  taken  by  the  enemy,  it,  together  with  many 
other  letters  and  reports,  was  lost.  Since  that 
time  I  have  been  sickly  nearly  all  summer,  and 
nigh  unto  death  even;  therefore  I  most  obedi- 
ently ask  to  be  excused  for  the  delay  of  this, 
and  desire  that  these  lines  may  be  received, 
and  you,  Revd.  and  highly  venerable  sir,  peruse 
them  in  life  and  good  health.  As  respects  the 
external  circumstances  of  my  church  and  con- 
gregation in  Germantown,  I,  for  my  part,  had 
much  rather  that  instead  of  a  bell,  assistance 
in  money  was  given  us.  For  after  our  church 
here  was  so  far  completed  that  we  could  wor- 
ship in  the  dry,  to  pay  the  building  expenses 
we  had  to  borrow  800  Rix  dollars  in  German 
money,  and  annually  pay  48  Rix  dollars  in- 
terest on  it.  The  congregation,  when  the 
building  commenced,  had  exerted  themselves 
to  the  utmost.  To  pay  the  yearly  interest  and 
other  necessary  expenses,  and  also  to  finish  the 


I56  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

church  altogether,  was  as  much  as  they  could 
do,  the  principal  remaining  unpaid;  and  thus  it 
was  a  great  relief,  that  we  were  enabled  to  pay 
one-fourth  of  the  debt,  and  consequently  di- 
minish the  interest.  God,  our  Father  in  Christ, 
has  not  denied  us  the  greater;  he  will  also  find 
out  means  for  the  smaller.  He  has  hitherto 
helped  us  mightily,  paternally  and  wonder- 
fully; he  will  do  it  still,  according  to  his  prom- 
ise, if  we  trust  in  him.  In  the  congregation  in 
Philadelphia,  where  I  live,  we  were  much  more 
deeply  involved  in  debt,  in  building  a  church, 
as  building  is  more  expensive  there,  and  the 
greater  part  of  the  congregation  poor.  Still, 
Revd.  and  highly  venerable  sir,  the  Lord  will 
give  us  help  here  also,  and  awaken  our  breth- 
ren in  the  faith  in  Europe  to  make  a  collec- 
tion for  us,  as  we  have  already  received  many 
contributions  through  the  tireless  exertions  of 
the  court  preacher  Ziegenhagen  and  Dr. 
Franke.  When  the  church  debts  are  once 
paid,  and  we  are  free  from  the  heavy  interest, 
I  hope  our  congregations  will  be  able  to  sup- 
port their  teachers,  as  long  as  they  are  satis- 
fied with  the  necessaries.  Amid  many  afflic- 
tions from  without  and   from  within,  God  has 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 $J 

made  us  glad  this  year,  by  the  arrival  of  a  new 
colleague,  Mr.  Handschuch,  who  now  labors 
with  a  blessing  in  the  town  of  Lancaster,  and 
seeks  to  bring  the  congregation  there  into 
order,  which  was  distracted  by  the  going  over 
to  the  Herrnhuter  of  Nyberg,  who  had  been 
sent  from  Sweden.  On  the  tenth  Sunday  after 
Trinity,  we  also  had  the  pleasure,  solemnly,  in 
the  name  of  God,  to  consecrate  the  church  in 
Philadelphia,  the  corner-stone  of  which  was 
laid  in  1743,  on  which  occasion  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Ministerium  of  this  country,  and  its 
provost,  were  present,  together  with  several 
other  regularly-called  preachers.  On  the  other 
hand,  we  were  heartily  grieved,  when  God 
shortly  after  called  away  from  this  world 
provost  Sandin,  who  had  only  been  sent  in 
spring  by  the  Archbishop  in  Upsala,  and  soon 
after,  the  oldest  Swedish  preacher,  Tranberg, 
as  we  stood  in  the  fraternal  official  union  with 
them.  At  the  same  time,  Hochreutiner,  a 
Reformed  preacher,  had  the  misfortune  to  be 
suddenly  killed  by  the  careless  discharge  of  a 
gun.  As  respects  the  internal  condition  of  our 
congregations,  it  is  certainly  true  that  the 
greater  part,  among  the  old  and  the  young,  are 
»4 


I58  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

yet  earthly-minded,  and  in  great  ignorance. 
Yet,  in  many,  not  a  little  desire  is  manifested 
to  be  instructed  in  the  word  of  God,  and  with 
the  most  of  them,  a  reverence  and  devotional 
quiet  during  public  worship;  and  many  also 
show  a  tender  love  and  cordial  confidence  in 
us  as  their  teachers.  There  are,  indeed,  few, 
yet  some  in  both  my  congregations,  of  whom 
I  have  a  well  founded  hope  that  they  were 
awakened  from  the  spiritual  sleep  of  sin,  and 
drawn  by  the  Father  unto  the  Son,  and  who 
give  evidence  of  an  earnestness  in  their  souls' 
salvation.  To  lead  these  further,  and  keep 
them  in  the  wholesome  pasture  of  the  word, 
requires  much  watchfulness,  effort,  opposition, 
and  divine  wisdom.  We  now  have  but  little 
offence  from  the  Herrnhuter.  They  are  being 
revealed  here  also ;  one  after  another  leaves 
them  again.  Their  chief  seat  and  retreat  is  in 
Bethlehem,  about  sixty  miles  from  Philadelphia. 
My  most  worthy  colleague,  Mr.  Muhlenberg, 
who  is  the  oldest  among  us,  lives  twenty-five 
miles  from  here,  in  Providence,  and  we  teachers, 
by  the  grace  of  the  Lord,  stand  in  fraternal 
union  and  love,  the  one  for  all  and  all  for  one. 
So  our  congregations  also,    though    lying  far 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 59 

apart,  are  yet  joined  together,  as  one  congre- 
gation, with  whose  elders  we  united  preachers 
have  an  annual  meeting.  We  all  commend  our- 
selves to  the  intercession  of  our  dear  fathers 
and-  patrons  in  Germany,  and  cordially  desire 
that  God  may  especially,  for  a  long  time  yet, 
preserve  and  powerfully  strengthen  you,  rev- 
erend and  highly  venerable  sir,  for  the  good  of 
his  church." 

§  25.  Thus  then  the  goodness  and  paternal 
care  of  the  faithful  God  is  to  be  heartily 
praised,  who  did  not  hitherto  suffer  his  servants 
to  come  to  shame,  in  the  important  matter  of 
building  churches,  when  they  could  not  calcu- 
late on  any  collection  from  the  country,  or  any 
other  sure  income,  but  had  to  ventnre  all  upon 
the  gracious  aid  of  God.  Although  the  re- 
maining debts  of  the  church  in  Philadelphia, 
as  a  heavy  burden,  as  yet  oppress  the  hearts 
of  the  preachers  and  of  the  hearers,  still  this 
is  a  sufficient  proof  of  the  faithfulness  of  God, 
viz.,  that  he  has  not  yet  forsaken  them  under 
it ;  yea,  that  by  his  liberal  hand  he  has  already 
graciously  provided  for  more  than  the  half  of 
the  cost,  and  thereby  strengthened  their  faith, 
that  he  surely,  also,  will  impart  the  rest  by  his 


l60  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

blessing;  and  furthermore,  that  he  will  yet 
awaken  many  Christian  hearts  to  give  liberal 
contributions  for  the  full  payment  of  these 
debts,  and  thereby  also,  at  the  same  time,  pro- 
mote the  spiritual  blessing  in  these  congrega- 
tions, which  cannot  be  obtained  without  ex- 
ternally good  institutions  in  church  and 
schools.  If  the  debts  of  the  congregation  in 
Philadelphia,  on  account  of  church  building, 
are  large,  so  also  is  the  Lord  rich,  who,  if  it 
be  his  will,  is  able  to  impart  this  and  more, 
and  abundantly  supply  this  want. 

§  26.  To  the  glory  of  his  paternal  care,  the 
temporal  blessings  must  also  be  remembered 
here,  which  were  given  in  these  last  years  to 
the  united  congregations  in  Pennsylvania,  by 
the  hands  of  several  most  worthy  benefactors, 
and  whereof  the  greater  part  was  applied  to 
the  payment  of  the  church  debts  in  Philadel- 
phia. In  June,  1745,  200  Rix  dollars  were 
remitted  by  a  person  of  high  rank,  which  the 
late  wife  of  the  Counselor  Majorin,  of  Bremen, 
set  aside  in  her  will,  for  the  promotion  of  good 
institutions,  of  which  the  half  was  given  to 
the  congregations  in  Pennsylvania.  A  high 
princely  person  of  rank   in  Brunswick,  sent  20 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  l6l 

Rix  dollars  in  the  beginning  of  the  year  1746. 
A  high  baronial  person  of  rank  made  a  present 
of  five  ducats,  and  soon  afterwards  sent  50  Rix 
dollars,  which  his  deceased  mother  had  most 
kindly  bequeathed  in  her  last  will,  to  the  con- 
gregation in  Philadelphia.  A  worthy  patroness 
in  Anhalt,  sent  pastor  Handschuch  20  Rix 
dollars,  to  which  another  anonymous  benefac- 
tress contributed  one-half,  and  soon  after  five 
Rix  dollars  more  ;  and  an  unnamed  friend  also 
consigned  100  Rix  dollars  to  the  same.  At 
the  Easter  fair,  1748,  100  Rix  dollars  were 
paid,  besides  other  legacies,  to  other  objects, 
which  John  Frederick  Berner  (with  whom  we 
of  Halle  never  had  any  acquaintance,)  formerly 
canon  and  subsenior  of  the  cathedral  of  St. 
Boniface,  in  Hameln,  had  kindly  dedicated  to 
church  building  in  Philadelphia.  In  February, 
1746,  in  March,  1747,  in  February,  1748,  and 
in  February,  1749,  a  Christian  school-man  in 
Westphalia,  sent  1 1  Rix  dollars  each  year. 
Other  kind  favors  without  distinction  are 
remembered  with  tender  thankfulness,  but  for 
the  sake  of  brevity  cannot  be  cited  in  this 
place.  The  Landgrave  of  Hessen-Darmstadt 
is  to  be  praised  with  the  most  grateful  ac- 
14*    '  L 


1 62        REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

knowledgment,  as  on  the  repeated  most  hum- 
ble application  of  the  congregations  in  Penn- 
sylvania, he  graciously  permitted  a  collection 
to  be  taken  in  his  principality  and  lands  for 
the  building  of  churches  in  Pennsylvania,  in 
view  of  the  fact  that  many  of  the  children  of 
his  country  were  found  among  them,  and 
which  collection  altogether  amounted  to  579 
Gulden,  10  Alb.,  and  5  Pf.  The  Lord  be 
magnified  for  this  liberal  blessing,  and  recom- 
pense the  most  serene  ruler  of  this  land,  as 
well  as  all  others  also  who  aided  in  securing 
permission  for  this  collection,  and. manifested 
their  active  love  by  a  contribution.  The  Lord 
reward  their  disposition  of  mind  and  their 
favors  with  superabundant  blessings,  and  never 
permit  any  want  to  arise  in  this  land  in  a  rich 
and  faithful  preaching  of  his  word.  For  this 
benefit  conferred,  may  his  spiritual  and  tem- 
poral blessings  become  great  in  it,  for  which 
the  congregations  in  their  public  assemblies 
will  not  fail  to  pray,  as  well  for  the  whole  land 
as  for  its  gracious  ruler,  after  the  sum  of  this 
collection  has  already  been  carefully  sent  to 
them,  and  actually  received,  by  them,  and  in 
whose  name  most  humble  and  heartfelt  thanks 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 63 

for  it,  are  hereby  given.  We  assure  all  other 
high  and  worthy  benefactors  of  the  most 
humble  and  sincere  thankfulness  for  all  the 
generous  gifts,  whether  noticed  here  or  not, 
and  cordially  desire  for  them  the  rich  reward 
of  grace  from  him  who  has  promised  to  let  no 
drink  of  cold  water  pass  unrecompensed.  This 
name — the  name  of  the  gracious  God,  and  his 
paternal  providence — be  humbly  praised  and 
glorified,  as  well  for  all  temporal  blessings 
received  and  help  shown,  as  especially  also  for 
all  spiritual  blessings  granted,  and  for  the 
manifested  fruit  of  his  word  ! 


CHAPTER    V. 

2.  EXTRACTS  FROM  PASTOR  HANDSCHUCH's  DI- 
ARY WHICH  HE  KEPT  ON  HIS  VOYAGE  FROM 
ENGLAND    TO    PENNSYLVANIA. 

On  the  25th  of  September,  1747,  I  went  on 
board  of  the  ship  Burlington,  which  immedi- 
ately set  sail  from  Gravesend,  and  anchored  in 
the  Downs  of  Deal,  where  our  convoy  and  the 
rest  of  the  ships,  seventeen  in  number,  joined 
us  on  the  1st  of  October;  whereupon  we  ar- 
rived at  Spithead,  on  the  6th  of  October.  On 
the  14th  of  October,  our  captain  resolved  to 
cast  anchor  near  the  Isle  of  Wight.  For  our 
ship  had  leaked  very  much,  for  many  days, 
and  notwithstanding  all  the  efforts  made  in  the 
harbor,  the  exact  place  of  the  leak  could  not 
be  found.  For  this  reason,  it  was,  during  the 
ebb,  to  be  examined  anew,  and  all  around,  and 
the  leaks  closed  with  all  diligence.  This  even- 
ing, some  of  our  people  caught  fine  lobsters,  at 
the  shore  of  this  beautiful  island,  which  held 
to  the  light,  or  to  the  sun,  whilst  living,  are  al- 
(164) 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 65 

most  wholly  transparent,  and  have  a  very  good 
taste.  They  also  caught  a  particular  kind  of 
snail,  of  good  taste,  and  a  wonderful  fish,  a 
span  long,  with  a  thick  and  very  broad  head, 
and  two  strong  horns,  half  an  inch  long,  of  a 
dark  brown  color.  On  tiu  15th  of  October,  at 
9  o'clock  in  the  morning,  we  again  set  sail; 
nevertheless  at  1 1  o'clock,  we  had  to  anchor 
again  on  account  of  a  contrary  wind.  On  the 
1 6th  of  October,  we  sailed  further  away,  but 
on  account  of  a  light  wind,  were  unable  to 
reach  the  harbor  of  Plymouth,  before  the 
22d  of  October.  On  the  24th  of  Octo- 
ber, the  captain  commenced  to  have  the  ship 
unloaded,  for  better  examination,  as  the  leak, 
which  hitherto  admitted  so  much  water,  could 
neither  be  discovered  in  the  harbor  at  Ports- 
mouth, nor  at  the  Isle  of  Wight. 

About  noon,  on  Nov.  6,  I  was  conveyed 
ashore  by  a  passing  boat.  The  boatman  en- 
tered into  conversation  with  me,  and  urgently 
besought  me  to  visit  him  at  his  house  in  a 
small  neighboring  village  near  the  harbor, 
and  if  it  were  only  for  half  an  hour.  In 
the  evening,  on  my  return  to  the  ship,  I 
met    him    in    our    cabin,    and    heard    that    he 


1 66  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

was  a  shoemaker.  We  conversed  much  with 
each  other,  to  our  mutual  edification,  and 
did  not  permit  the  disquiet  in  the  cabin  to 
interfere  with  us,  much  less  were  we  ashamed 
to  confess  Christ  and  his  grace  given  unto 
us,  before  all  the  people  present.  At  his 
departure,  he  again  very  cordially  invited  me 
to  visit  him,  because  there  were  yet  others  liv- 
ing in  his  neighborhood,  who  desired  to  speak 
with  me.  On  the  7th  of  November,  the  cap- 
tain of  a  ship  from  Stettin  sent  to  bring  me 
aboard.  On  the  way,  the  boat  stopping  at  a 
vessel  from  Holland,  the  captain  urged  me  in 
a  very  friendly  manner  to  come  on  board  his 
ship  for  a  little  while,  which  I  also  could  not 
refuse.  We  could  not  sufficiently  wonder  at 
the  costliness  and  uncommon  cleanliness  of 
this  ship.  Afterwards  he  went  with  me  on 
board  of  the  vessel  from  Stettin,  where  there 
was  another  captain  from  Dantzic.  At  table, 
I  sought  to  edify  them  according  to  the  grace 
which  God  granted,  and  it  was  very  agreeable 
to  me  once  again  to  speak  German  with  Ger- 
mans. In  the  afternoon  we  went  into  town 
together.  In  the  evening,  about  8  o'clock,  tak- 
ing a  lantern,  I  returned  with  our  captain,  who 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  1 67 

had  as  yet  had  some  letters  to  write.  When 
we  were  having  ourselves  taken  to  our  ship, 
and  were  in  the  midst  of  the  water,  scarcely 
the  distance  of  a  gunshot  away  from  our  ves- 
sel, one  of  the  boatmen  alleged  that  he  be- 
longed to  a  man  of  war,  and  must  first  go  to 
it,  which  however  was  very  far  off.  As  it 
rained  very  hard  and  the  water  was  in  unusual 
commotion  on  account  of  the  violence  of  the 
wind,  the  captain  would  by  no  means  agree  to 
this,  and  seized  the  helm  himself.  Amid  the 
violent  opposition  of  the  sailor,  we  finally 
reached  a  ship  lying  near  ours,  which  had 
been  taken  from  the  French,  and  which  our 
captain  had  hired  to  put  our  lading  in, 
that  the  repairs  might  the  more  conveniently 
be  made ;  and  I  was  obliged,  on  the  captain's 
repeated  calls,  to  place  myself  in  safety,  by  a 
leap  into  the  large  boat  of  this  ship,  although 
the  two  boats  could  not  properly  meet  to- 
gether. But  as  from  a  total  disuse,  it  was  en- 
tirely full  of  water,  I  fell  into  it  over  my  knees, 
and  had  to  stand  in  the  water,  until  our  people 
drew  me  out  of  the  boat,  and  carried  me  to 
our  ship.  In  the  forenoon  of  the  9th  of  No- 
vember, the  Stettiner,  the  Dantzicker,  and  the 


1 68        REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

Hollander,  came  aboard  our  ship,  to  visit  me 
and  to  fetch  me  away.  I  related  to  them  what 
it  was,  with  which  I  had  just  been  edifying 
myself  out  of  the  word  of  God,  showed  my 
call  to  them,  and  gave  them  the  first  report  of 
our  congregations  in  Pennsylvania.  After  a 
long  conversation,  they  brought  me  on  board 
of  the  vessel  from  Dantzic,  where  we  dined 
together.  The  Hamburger  was  not  inexperi- 
enced in  the  Scriptures  and  in  Christianity ; 
therefore,  whilst  we  were  together,  edifying  con- 
versation was  not  lacking  for  a  moment,  which 
related  chiefly  to  the  justification  of  the  poor 
sinner  before  God,  what  are  good  works,  and 
the.  like  matters.  When  towards  evening,  I 
came  on  board  of  our  ship,  the  cook,  an 
already  aged  man,  received  me  in  a  partic- 
ularly friendly  manner,  and  immediately  began 
a  long  conversation  with  me  concerning  the 
state  of  his  soul.  He  alleged  that  he  knew 
and  felt  his  spiritual  misery,  and  disapproved 
of  the  life  of  his  comrades.  I  wished  him  a 
true  earnestness,  and  entreated  him  to  repent 
with  all  his  heart.  On  the  nth  of  Novem- 
ber, I  again  took  a  meal  in  town,  and  indeed 
in   company  with   many  French   prisoners,  of 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 69 

the  last  six  conquered  ships  of  war,  and 
with  whom  I  conversed  much,  according  to 
opportunity.  They  were  all  uncommonly 
courteous.  One  of  them,  however,  seemed  to 
have  a  very  special  confidence  in  me,  and  may 
have  been  a  Protestant,  secretly.  This  even- 
ing, I  had  to  wait  for  nearly  two  hours  in  the 
passage  house,  as  the  boat  could  not  leave  on 
account  of  the  high  wind  and  waves.  In 
the  meanwhile,  the  landlord  engaged  in  a 
spiritual  conversation  with  another  man.  This 
man,  to  me  unknown,  spoke  of  spiritual 
things  very  properly  and  affectingly,  but  the 
landlord  opposed  him  continually,  and  was 
of  the  opinion,  that  it  was  only  necessary  to 
speak  of  regeneration,  of  Christ,  and  of  faith, 
etc.,  to  Jews,  heathen,  and  Turks,  but  not  to 
Christians,  with  whom  all  this  is  already  to 
be  taken  for  granted.  It  was  impossible  for 
me  to  remain  silent  any  longer.  I  therefore 
briefly  corrected  him,  and  from  the  word  of 
God  pointed  out  to  him,  the  way  of  eternal 
life  as  well  as  I  was  able  in  the  English 
language.  The  stranger  conceived  a  particu- 
lar love  for  me,  and  in  the  boat  he  related  to 
me  how  he  was  awakened  and  converted. 
*5 


170  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

Afterwards  I  spoke  with  him  several  times  in 
Plymouth,  and  during  the  conversation  noticed 
that  his  heart  was  much  affected,  which  he 
was^inable  to  suppress  or  to  hide,  although  we 
conversed  with  each  other  on  the  street,  many 
people  going  and  coming.  In  the  forenoon  of 
November  the  12th,  I  was  in  an  English  church, 
and  in  the  afternoon,  for  the  first  time,  in  the 
French  Reformed  church  of  this  place.  The 
French  preacher,  Mr.  Bordier,  edified  me  very 
much,  as  he  preached  so  instructively  and  pro- 
foundly of  the  sonship  of  God,  that  I  left  the 
church  full  of  admiration  and  joy.  On  the 
13th  of  November,  after  meal  time,  I  desired 
to  go  around  the  town  somewhat.  When  I 
came  to  the  citadel,  the  French  preacher  just 
mentioned  overtook  me,  saluted  me  in  a  very 
friendly  manner,  and  invited  me  to  come  to 
his  house.  He  said  that  he  had  particularly 
noticed  me  yesterday  afternoon  in  church,  and 
had  taken  me  for  a  Hollandish  preacher  from 
one  of  the  war  vessels  from  Holland  lying 
here.  In  the  expectation  of  an  edifying  con- 
versation, I  did  not  refuse  to  go  with  him  to 
his  house,  where  he  showed  me  much  courtesy, 
and  invited  me  to  dine  with  him  as  often  as  I 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 7  I 

wished.  Our  conversation  on  this  occasion, 
related  to  myself,  my  country,  and  my  call,  and 
the  difference  in  doctrine  of  our  respective 
churches.  On  the  14th  of  November,  the 
shoemaker,  mentioned  under  date  of  6th  inst. 
in  this  report,  came  and  took  me  in  his 
boat  to  his  house.  The  whole  company  at 
table  consisted  of  eight  upright  persons.  I 
sought  to  edify  them  as  well  as  I  could  in 
English,  but  they  edified  me  much  more 
by  their  affectionate  simplicity.  Our  meet- 
ing was  closed  with  several  edifying  English 
hymns,  and  an  affecting  prayer  by  the  shoe- 
maker. On  the  15th  of  November  about 
noon,  I  went  to  town  to  the  French  preacher, 
because  I  had  promised  him  to  dine  with 
him.  He  was  very  kind,  and  even  inquired  of 
me  whether  I  would  not  preach  in  his  church, 
which  however  I  declined.  In  the  forenoon 
of  the  1 6th  of  November,  I  was  in  the  large 
English  high  church,  where  the  great  detected 
conspiracy  was  solemnly  commemorated.  The 
sermon  was  wholly  directed  to  this  circum- 
stance, and  many  historical  facts  of  those  times 
were  related  at  length,  to  awaken  the  people 
to  the  praise  of  God.     Afterwards  I  saw  the 


172        REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

whole  magistracy  in  their  attire,  together  with 
the  preachers  of  the  high  church,  the  con- 
stables going  before,  marching  two  and  two 
through  the  town,  with  delightful  music  and 
flying  colors.  At  noon  I  was  invited  to  dine 
by  a  Mr.  Kinsmann.  He,  his  wife,  and  all  his 
house,  feared  God  in  simplicity.  In  the  after- 
noon, I  had  to  go  with  him  to  one  who  had 
been  a  strong  negotiant,  a  Mr.  Mignan,  who 
received  me  in  a  very  friendly  manner  and 
edified  me  not  a  little.  For  his  heart  was 
nearly  always  full  of  the  most  tender  and 
affecting  praise  and  thankfulness  to  God.  I 
had  to  close  our  interview  with  a  prayer  in 
the  French  language,  for  in  English  I  did 
not  as  yet  trust  myself  to  do  it  without  dis- 
traction of  thought.  On  the  17th  of  Novem- 
ber I  dined  with  Mr.  Mignan,  not  without  my 
own,  and  I  hope  the  edification  of  the  whole 
company  at  table.  His  niece,  a  woman  of 
uncommon  understanding,  and  of  rare  gifts, 
was  especially  much  affected  by  our  conversa- 
tion, and  wept  at  parting.  Thereupon  I  went 
to  the  post-office,  and  afterwards  to  the  church, 
to  which  Mr.  Mignan  had  directed  me,  for 
prayer  and  the  hearing  of  several  chapters  of 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 73 

the  Bible.  After  church,  I  took  a  walk  with 
him,  at  his  request.  His  heart  and  lips  were 
full  of  the  praise  of  God,  both  for  the  work  of 
creation  and  for  the  redemption  of  mankind. 
On  the  1 8th  of  November  the  wind  seemed  to 
become  favorable ;  therefore,  by  order  of  the 
captain,  we  had  all  to  be  ready  to  sail  next 
day,  although  without  a  convoy.  Without 
delay  I  went  into  town  to  take  leave  of  my 
dear  friends,  Mr.  Mignan,  Mr.  Kinsmann,  and 
the  French  preacher,  Mr.  Bordier.  Each  one 
wished  me  to  stav  for  dinner,  but  for  good  rea- 
sons  I  promised  the  last.  Our  conversation  at 
table  related  to  the  kingdom  of  God  in  Ger- 
many, and  the  East  and  West  Indies.  After 
dinner,  I  had  to  go  with  him  to  a  navy  officer 
eighty-four  years  old,  who  sent  for  us  by  his 
grandson,  also  an  English  navy  officer.  He 
related  to  us  his  many  troubles  and  dangers 
through  which  he  passed,  in  so  many  naval 
battles,  and  gave  me  a  letter  to  his  niece  in 
Philadelphia,  and  requested  me  to  visit  her 
personally.  At  leaving,  I  wished  this  old  man 
much  divine  grace,  to  employ  his  time  yet 
remaining  properly  for  eternity,  which  he  also 
promised  to  do.     Afterwards,  Mr.  Bordier  and 


174  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

myself  went  out  of  town  on  a  hill,  from  thence 
to  see  Captain  Saumares  brought  to  town,  who 
had  been  mortally  wounded  in  the  last  naval 
battle  between  the  English  and  the  French 
fleets,  near  Cape  Finisterre,  and  died  on  his 
ship  in  the  harbor  at  the  king's  dock.  He  was 
accompanied  by  more  than  sixteen  boats,  in 
one  of  which  was  the  admiral  himself,  but  in 
the  rest  sea-captains  and  other  officers.  In 
town  the  whole  funeral  cortege  was  right 
princely,  and  as  long  as  it  continued,  from  the 
moment  he  was  lifted  from  the  deck  of  his  ship 
into  a  boat,  until  he  was  lowered  into  the 
grave,  a  space  of  nearly  three  hours,  a  cannon 
was  fired  each  minute  by  all  the  ships  of  war 
lying  around  here,  and  at  last  by  the  citadel 
also.  On  account  of  his  valiant  conduct,  the 
king  had  him  buried  so  magnificently.  The 
whole  court  of  aldermen,  in  their  attire,  all 
navy  officers  stationed  here,  the  whole  priest- 
hood of  the  English  church  from  town  and  the 
neighborhood,  and  finally  several  companies  of 
marines,  constituted  this  beautiful  and  orderly 
procession.  One  thing  and  another  were  in- 
structive to  me.  Among  other  things,  I 
thought :  If  an  earthly  king  shows  his  people 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 75 

such  distinguished  honor  for  their  good  con- 
duct, what  will  not  the  Most  High  King  do, 
through  his  infinite  grace,  for  those  who  serve 
him  faithfully  and  uprightly,  denying  their 
own  will  and  all  the  advantages  of  this  life,  and 
by  his  divine  aid  contending,  as  valiantly  as 
they  are  able,  against  all  his  and  their  foes  ? 

On  the  19th  of  November  the  wind  again 
became  quite  contrary  for  us.  In  the  forenoon 
I  went  into  an  English,  and  in  the  afternoon 
to  the  French  church,  at  the  door  of  which  I 
met  Mr.  Mignan,  who  was  very  glad  to  see  me 
again.  In  going  into  the  church,  he  related  to 
me,  with  satisfied  looks,  how  Mr.  Bordier  to- 
day prayed  for  me  publicly,  and  for  the  blessed 
success  of  my  calling,  which  I,  myself,  also 
heard  this  afternoon,  still  with  such  words 
only  wherewith  he  described  me  and  my  voca- 
tion. After  church,  I  had  to  go  with  Mr. 
Mignan  to  his  house. 

On  the  23d  of  November,  about  12  o'clock, 
I  had  to  go  on  board  in  all  haste,  whereupon 
we  immediately  sailed  out  of  the  harbor.  This 
evening  I  began  to  feel  the  sea-sickness.  Be- 
fore it  was  quite  evening,  we  met  the  fine  East 
India  fleet  under  Admiral  Boscowen,  in  whose 


I76  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

company  we  expected  to  sail  some  three  or 
four  hundred  miles.  Wind  and  weather  were 
favorable  enough  for  us  until  the  evening  of 
November  the  26th,  and  my  sea-sickness  was 
endurable  all  this  time.  But  this  evening  ter- 
ribly stormy  weather  and  a  heavy  rain  set  in. 
The  wind  became  continually  more  violent, 
and,  for  us,  altogether  contrary.  From  this 
night  onward  I  was  very  sea-sick.  Early  on 
the  2.7th  of  November  the  East  India  fleet  was 
wholly  dispersed,  and  in  the  evening  not  a 
ship  was  any  longer  visible.  On  the  28th  and 
29th  of  November  we  had  to  consign  ourselves 
entirely  to  the  wind  and  waves.  On  the  30th 
of  November  the  people  could  no  longer 
endure  the  severe  labor,  and  we  were  in  con- 
stant danger  of  being  at  last  swallowed  up  by 
the  waves.  Therefore,  the  captain  resolved  to 
return  again.  In  the  evening  we  met  a  large 
English  ship  of  war,  in  a  similar  condition. 
We  were  interrogated  by  its  captain,  and  we 
inquired  of  him  where  we  were.  He  gave  us 
the  wrong  information,  but  doubtless  igno- 
rantly,  and  thereby  occasioned  us  to  take  such  a 
course,  that  when  on  the  day  following,  Dec.  1st, 
it  cleared  off,  our  people  saw  themselves  less 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  \yj 

than  half  a  mile  from  a  great  many  sea-cliffs, 
whereat  all  were  much  frightened.  They  there- 
fore began  to  strain  their  sails  as  much  as  they 
were  able,  to  escape  this  manifest  danger. 
After  we  were  at  a  distance,  several  came  to 
my  bed,  and  with  great  joy  related  all  to  me, 
when  I  had  a  fine  opportunity,  to  speak  a  word 
of  exhortation  to  them. 

On  the  2d  of  December,  at  noon,  we  again, 
thank  God,  safely  entered  the  harbor  at  Ply- 
mouth. On  account  of  my  debility,  I  thought 
it  advisable  for  my  recovery  to  land,  and 
the  sooner  the  better.  I  therefore  went  to 
town  to  Mr.  Mignan.  They  received  me,  full 
of  joy  and  surprise  at  our  return,  and  praised 
the  Lord  with  me,  for  my  deliverance  out  of  so 
many  dangers.  I  afterwards  went  to  Mr. 
Kinsmann,  whose  whole  house  received  me  with 
much  gladness,  and  invited  me  to  lodge  with 
them ;  which  I  the  more  willingly  accepted 
with  all  thankfulness,  as  my  bed  had  become 
very  damp  by  the  continual  rain.  On  the  6th 
of  December,  I  was  informed,  when,  soon  after 
meal  time,  I  had  myself  conveyed  to  our  ship, 
that  two  preachers,  one  English  and  one  a 
German,  with  his  wife,  were  on  a  ship  lying 
M 


I/O        REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

near,  called  the  Snow,  which  came  here  from 
London  a  few  days  ago,  and  desired  to  speak 
with  me.  I  accordingly  had  myself  taken  over, 
and  found  that  the  married  man  was  no  German, 
but  a  Swede,  and  that  he  understood  very  lit- 
tle, and  his  wife  understood  no  German  at  all. 
Now,  as  he  could  speak  neither  English  nor 
French,  we  spoke  in  Latin  to  each  other,  and 
each  inquired  concerning  the  nature  of  our 
calling.  The  English  preacher  was  not  pres- 
ent. The  former  was  sent  from  Stockholm  to 
Pennsylvania,  for  the  Swedes,  but  the  latter 
goes  to  New  London.  As  it  became  late,  we 
took  a  friendly  leave,  and  promised  each  other 
to  maintain  a  good  friendship  in  Pennsylvania, 
and  if  possible  to  see  each  other  again,  on 
board  of  one  of  our  ships.  About  4  o'clock 
on  the  8th  of  December,  I  had  to  go  with  Mr. 
Kinsmann  to  an  upright  goldsmith,  Mr.  Frey- 
mann.  We  were  altogether  contented  with 
each  other,  and  with  the  grace  granted  to  us. 
In  the  evening  of  December  the  9th,  I  took 
supper  with  Mr.  Bordier.  Our  intercourse  was 
useful  and  pleasant,  and  I  could  not  sufficiently 
jvonder,  that  he  received  all  in  such  love,  that 
under  the  circumstances  was  said  for  the  glory 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 79 

of  God,  and  for  the  advancement  of  his  king- 
dom here  in  Plymouth.  Early  on  the  13th  of 
December,  I  was  called  on  board  of  the  ship. 
I  hastened  all  I  could  to  speak  with  the  cap- 
tain himself.  He,  however,  allowed  me  no 
more  than  one  hour's  time.  I  then  took  leave 
of  my  friends  in  all  haste,  and  was  presented 
by  Mr.  Stephen  Mignan  with  a  supply  of  Span- 
ish wine,  for  the  voyage.  Early  on  the  14th  of 
December,  the  wind  again  became  wholly  con- 
trary for  us,  and  we  were  obliged  to  remain 
in  the  harbor.  Several  of  the  passengers  again 
landed,  but  I  went  on  board  of  the  ship  Snow,  to 
visit  the  Swedish  preacher,  with  whom  I  spent 
nearly  the  whole  day,  although  we  had  but  little 
external  quiet.  On  the  15th  of  December,  I 
again  went  into  town,  where  my  acquaintances 
again  received  me  very  kindly.  In  the  even- 
ing at  6  o'clock,  I  went  to  preaching.  After 
service,  complaint  was  made  to  me  that  a  Ger- 
man Moravian  brother  arrived  here  to-day 
from  Exeter,  and  it  was  much  to  be  feared  that 
he  would  get  such  a  party  here,  and  occasion 
such  a  violent  division  among  the  children 
of  God,  as  he  did  in  Exeter;  especially  as  from 
three  to  four  persons  of  this  place  were  already 


ISO  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

attached  to  him  and  his  brethren,  although 
they  seek  to  conceal  it — that  I  should,  indeed, 
according  to  my  conscience,  warn  all  my  ac- 
quaintances here  of  it,  as  they  would  sooner 
take  it  of  me.  This  I  also  did,  on  every  op- 
portunity given  me  thereto.  On  the  17th  of 
December,  about  10  o'clock,  I  was  informed 
that  the  wind  had  become  very  favorable,  and 
that  we  would  certainly  sail  this  afternoon.  I 
went  once  more  into  the  French  church. 
Afterwards  I  talked  of  many  things  with  Mr. 
Bordier.  Young  Mr.  Mignan  also  came  to  in- 
vite me  to  his  house  to  dinner,  that  I  might  be 
on  hand,  if  indeed  we  should  yet  set  sail  to- 
day. In  the  evening,  about  4  o'clock,  I  was 
taken  on  board,  and  at  5  o'clock  we  went  under 
sail.  The  convoy  was  the  Intrepid.  Early  on 
the  1 8th  of  December,  we  saw  ourselves  de- 
serted by  our  convoy,  and  our  whole  fleet  con- 
sisted of  only  five  ships.  This  morning  my 
sea-sickness  commenced  again.  On  the  19th 
of  December  my  sickness  increased,  and  our 
ship  was  separated  from  its  company.  This 
night,  contrary  wind,  rain,  and  storm,  set  in 
again,  whereby  we  all,  and  I  especially,  on  ac- 
count  of  my  debility,  suffered   much  di^c^m- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  iSl 

fort.  The  ship  was  left  to  cruise,  and  as  the 
stormy  weather  and  the  violent  contrary  wind 
would  not  cease  for  so  many  days,  and  we 
were  in  constant  danger  of  an  accident,  or  of 
hostile  corsairs,  we  were  obliged,  about  10 
o'clock  on  the  26th  of  December,  to  return 
again.  On  the  27th  of  December  we  thought 
nothing  else  than  that  we  were  not  far  from 
the  Channel,  and  very  near  to  land,  and  there- 
fore we  were  afraid  to  approach  the  land  any 
nearer,  on  account  of  the  continuance  of  the 
same  violent  stormy  weather,  especially  as  it 
had  become  quite  dark.  We  therefore  re- 
mained in  the  Channel,  as  we  thought,  and 
let  the  ship  cruise  in  its  midst.  On  the  28th 
of  December  we  could  not  do  otherwise  than 
remain  in  a  similar  situation,  on  account  of  the 
continuance  of  the  same  stormy  weather.  On 
the  29th  of  December  I  began  to  be  somewhat 
better,  after  I  had  suffered  much.  To-day,  the 
sea  became  more  calm,  and  the  weather  more 
endurable,  after  it  had  been  all  this  time  very 
terribly  stormy.  We  desired  to  go  with  the 
wind  to  Falmouth,  for  safety  in  the  harbor  of 
that  place,  and  await  a  more  favorable  wind. 
We  were  of  the  opinion  that  we  were  very  near 
16 


1 82  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

the  French  coast.  We  therefore  sailed  in  a 
cross  direction  for  several  hours,  although 
somewhat  against  the  wind.  In  so  many  hours, 
however,  we  were  unable  to  discover  any  land. 
This  induced  the  captain  to  examine  our  situ- 
ation more  particularly  ;  and  after  the  reckon- 
ing, we  found  that  we  must  be  very  near  the 
shores  of  Ireland.  Now,  as  the  wind  was  in 
that  direction,  and  it  was  cheaper  in  Ireland 
than  in  England,  the  captain  resolved  to  sail 
for  Kinsale.  But  in  the  evening,  about  5 
o'clock  of  the  30th  of  December,  instead  of 
Kinsale,  we  arrived  at  the  sound  of  Waterford. 
A  pilot  was  demanded  by  several  discharges 
of  cannon,  who  also  came  on  board  yet  this 
evening,  at  a  very  late  hour,  and  informed  us 
that  we  were  in  the  bay  before  Waterford, 
about  seven  miles  from  that  town.  On  the  3 1st 
of  December  the  wind  again  became  favorable 
for  us  to  the  West  Indies.  Therefore  the  cap- 
tain was  unwilling  to  sail  further  in  the  bay, 
but  desired  to  lie  at  anchor  here  for  only  one 
night  more,  until  he  had  again  supplied  the 
ship  with  fresh  water,  the  want  of  which  we 
had  already  felt  considerably.  He,  with  one 
passenger,  a  native  of  Waterford,   and  whose 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 83 

father  is  living  there  still,  went  ashore,  but  for 
the  above  reason  would  take  no  one  else  with 
him. 

On  the  1st  of  January,  1748,  the  wind  again 
became  contrary,  and  our  captain  also  did  not 
return.  At  noon,  therefore,  I  had  myself,  be- 
sides four  other  passengers,  taken  ashore.  We 
landed  in  a  small  town  which  the  people  call 
the  Passage,  wholly  inhabited  by  Roman  Cath- 
olics, and  dined  there  very  cheaply.  At  3 
o'clock  we  left,  and  went  to  the  city  of  Water- 
ford,  five  miles  strong  from  the  Passage,  for 
exercise,  and  to  deliver  my  letters  personally. 
In  all  my  life,  I  never  saw  such  miserable  and 
such  poor  country  people,  nor  such  mean  far- 
mers' huts,  as  on  this  road.  And  thus  it  is 
said  to  be,  almost  throughout  all  Ireland.  At  7 
o'clock  we  entered  into  the  city.  As  our  cap- 
tain, who  met  us  in  the  bay,  called  to  me,  that 
I  should  immediately  go  to  the  city,  to  the 
above  mentioned  passenger,  captain  Roche,  as 
he  had  secured  a  comfortable  lod^ingr  for  me 
at  a  reasonable  price,  so  I  did  not  delay  to 
have  myself  taken  there.  I  met  his  father, 
himself,  and  several  relatives  together,  and  was 
retained   for  supper,  and  thereupon   taken    to 


184  REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

my  lodging  by  him ;  which  was  in  the  house  of 
a  Roman  Catholic  widow,  where  I  also  met  a 
French  Protestant,  Mr.  Verducam,  who  gave 
me  some  candid  advice  in  reference  to  my  stay 
in  this  place.  On  the  3d  of  January,  at  the 
request  of  Mr.  Verducam,  I  went  with  him 
out  of  the  city,  to  an  honest  Frenchman,  who 
is  a  merchant  and  has  a  large  sugar  manufac- 
tory here.  This  man  received  me  in  such  a 
friendly  manner  as  if  he  had  known  me  for 
many  years,  and.  after  supper  also  accompanied 
me  home.  At  noon  on  the  1 3th  of  January,  I 
went  to  the  house  of  Captain  Roche's  father, 
whither  our  captain  also  unexpectedly  came, 
and  gave  me  notice  that  I  should  be  on  board 
to-morrow  between  12  and  1  o'clock.  There- 
upon, I  took  leave  wherever  it  was  most  nec- 
essary, but  was  obliged  to  tarry  with  an  aged 
lady  over  two  hours,  and  not  without  edifica- 
tion. On  the  14th  of  January,  after  9  o'clock, 
I  left  Waterford  for  the  harbor.  With  diffi- 
culty I  arrived  on  board  after  1  o'clock,  and 
immediately  after  we  set  sail.  Early  on  the 
15  th  of  January,  the  pilot  told  me  that  the  day 
before  yesterday  they  had  accidentally  discov- 
ered the  proper  leak,  which  had- hitherto  ad- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 85 

mitted  so  much  water  into  the  ship,  and  given 
them  all  so  much  concern  and  labor.  At  3 
o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  28th  of  January, 
there  was  the  most  violent  storm  we  ever  had, 
with  terrible  thunder  and  lightning.  It  con- 
tinued with  the  same  violence,  until  about  8 
o'clock.  The  people  suffered  much  by  it. 
They  had  scarcely  put  on  dry  clothes  and 
eaten  a  little,  when  there  suddenly  arose  a  far 
more  violent  storm,  which,  according  to  the 
acknowledgment  of  all,  could  not  have  been 
worse.  All  was  frightful  to  behold,  and  to 
hear.  The  water  of  the  waves  dashing  over 
the  ship,  rushed  into  the  cabin  mightily ;  and 
when  I  at  last  ventured  to  rise,  I  had  to  go 
about  it  in  the  wet  without  shoes  or  stockings 
for  more  than  an  hour  (as  by  the  violent  com- 
motion everything  in  the  cabin  was  in  confu- 
sion,) to  get  my  things  together  and  put  them 
on  wet  as  I  found  them,  for  it  was  impossible 
to  get  dry  clothes  out  of  my  trunk.  At  10 
o'clock  the  captain  with  a  part  of  his  people 
came  into  the  cabin,  and  said  to  me  :  "  but  do 
you  not  see  what  a  frightful  storm  and  tempest 
we  have  ?  It  can  actually  be  no  more  violent. 
God  only  save  our  souls  as  yet !  We  have 
16* 


1 86  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

done  all  that  was  possible,  but  the  ship  is  no 
longer  under  control."  I  could  answer  nothing 
more,  than  that  the  Lord  could  still  easily  help 
us  ;  they  should  only  go  and  do  their  part. 
Contrary  to  the  supposition  of  all,  God  also 
very  strangely  preserved  the  ship,  according  to 
his  power  and  goodness.  At  I  o'clock  the 
violence  of  the  storm  abated  somewhat,  where- 
upon we  ate  a  little,  which  however  took  place 
in  a  very  distressing  manner.  Whilst  eating, 
several  mighty  waves  came  through  our  cabin 
window,  upon  me,  as  I  was  nearest  to  them, 
and  poured  all  over  me  and  several  others. 
The  cabin  was  filled  by  it  with  water,  perhaps 
an  ell  deep.  We  could  nowhere  hide  ourselves 
from  the  water.  On  deck  everything  was  far 
worse,  especially  as  one  side  of  the  ship  was 
already  lying  very  deep  in  the  water.  The 
cabin  windows  were  closed  as  soon  as  possible 
with  strong  shutters,  and  the  water  dipped  out 
of  the  cabin  with  much  trouble,  which  how- 
ever was  of  little  use,  as  the  waves  also  dashed 
in  through  the  door,  which  could  not  always 
remain  closed.  About  7  o'clock,  the  water 
was  for  the  most  part  removed.  But  when  I 
looked  after  my  things,   I   found  my  bed,  as 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 87 

well  as  my  trunk,  thoroughly  wet.  Conse- 
quently, I  had  to  stay  up  all  night  in  my  wet 
clothes.  A  fire  was  kindled  in  the  cabin,  of 
turf  and  stone  coal,  to  dry  both  the  cabin  and 
ourselves  again,  but  we  suffered  beyond  de- 
scription from  the  smoke,  which  found  vent  no- 
where. In  this  dreadful  storm  I  recognized  it 
with  humble  thankfulness,  as  a  special  favor 
and  mercy  of  God,  that  I  was  not  only  not  sea- 
sick in  body,  and  so  needed  no  outward  help, 
but  that  I  was  also  enabled  to  subject  my  will 
wholly  to  the  divine  will,  and  in  patient  and 
quiet  composure,  trust  him  to  do  with  me  as 
he  would,  according  to  his  wise  counsel — if 
he  only  in  danger  and  in  death  does  not  for- 
sake me  by  the  power  and  comfort  of  his  Spirit, 
which  he  will  not  do,  because  of  his  boundless 
love  to  me  in  Christ  my  Lord.  I  ascribed  this 
so  much  the  less  to  my  own  strength,  as  in  the 
previous  storm  I  had  to  contend  in  my  mind 
with  many  cares  as  to  what  perhaps  my  dear 
fathers,  brothers,  friends  and  relations,  and  es- 
pecially the  dear  brethren  in  Pennsylvania  who 
have  looked  for  help  so  long,  would  think  if 
they  should  hear  nothing  more  of  me.  God 
especially  granted  to  me  at  this  time,  a  partic- 


1 88       REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

ularly  joyful  certainty  of  my  salvation,  in  case 
I  should  lose  my  temporal  life  in  the  sea,  ac- 
cording to  the  will  of  God.  On  the  29th  of 
January,  when  the  captain  was  in  the  cabin  for 
breakfast,  he  with  strong  emotion  of  heart  ad- 
dressed me  thus  :  "  The  Lord  make  us  thankful 
for  the  wonderful  deliverance  out  of  this 
danger  !  It  certainly  was  not  in  our  power  to 
save  our  ship  and  our  life.  I  had  already  given 
up  all  for  lost,  and  I  must  confess  from  the 
heart,  the  power  of  God  has  done  this.  I  and 
all  of  us  shall  be  much  obliged  to  you,  if  as 
soon  as  convenient,  you  preach  for  us  a  praise 
and  thanksgiving  sermon,  and  so  awaken  us  to 
the  praise  of  God."  This  I  promised  him,  if 
they  could  sufficiently  understand  my  bad 
English.  In  the  evening  the  time  was  passed 
in  relating  all  the  circumstances  of  this  twice- 
repeated  very  frightful  storm — the  unexpected 
good  conduct  of  all  and  every  sailor,  and  of  the 
so  unlooked-for  gracious  and  mighty  deliver- 
ance, out  of  the  very  greatest  danger.  Now  as 
the  captain  attributed  all  this  to  the  hand  of 
God,  this  gave  me  occasion  for  many  a  joy  and 
edifying  conversation.  Towards  evening  of  the 
30th  of  January,  wind  and  weather  were  some- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 89 

what  better,  and  most  of  the  people  gathered 
around  me  on  deck,  to  whom  in  the  way  of  dia- 
logue, I  preached  a  genuine  sermon  on  repent- 
ance. 

On  the  3d  and  4th  of  February,  I  became 
very  sick,  and  therefore  had  to  wait  with 
the  desired  English  sermon.  Very  stormy 
weather  also  set  in  anew.  From  the  5th  to 
the  nth  of  February,  we  had  continual  con- 
trary wind  and  often  very  stormy  weather,  and 
were  several  times  in  great  danger  during  the 
night.  I  was  however  extraordinarily  miser- 
able on  February  1 8th ;  at  the  repeated  request 
of  the  captain,  I  had  nevertheless,  finally  to 
preach  in  the  English  language.  The  text  was 
Psalm  xci.  1 5  ;  I  will  be  with  him  in  trouble,  etc. 
The  people,  English,  Presbyterians,  Quakers, 
Roman  Catholics,  were  all  present  and  very 
attentive.  In  the  afternoon  of  the  25  th  of 
February  I  had  to  preach  on  the  remaining 
part  of  the  above  text;  and  I  believe  that  it  was 
not  without  a  blessing,  of  which  I  had  some 
indications.  God  also  gave  me  a  greater  read- 
iness in  the  English  language. 

At  the  solicitation  of  the  captain,  I  had  to 
to  preach  again  in  the  afternoon  of  the  3d  of 


I9O  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

March.  Text,  I  Tim.  i.  15.  On  the  10th  of 
March  there  was  hard  wind  and  storm,  with 
tempest,  which  hindered  our  meeting  together 
to  hear  a  sermon  meditated  on  by  me  the  day 
before.  On  the  17th  of  March,  the  sea  was 
calm  and  the  weather  fine.  At  noon,  at  table, 
the  captain  asked  me  to  preach  for  them  in 
the  afternoon,  which  I  did,  on  Rom.  viii.  32. 
March  19th,  from  6  o'clock  in  the  morning 
until  towards  evening,  we  had  no  wind  at  all. 
This  evening,  after  some  wind  had  again  arisen, 
several  of  our  sailors,  from  the  height  of  a  mast, 
noticed  a  ship  in  the  distance.  Our  cannon 
were  loaded  anew,  in  apprehension  of  a  hostile 
pirate,  and  soon  after  we  prepared  for  a  great 
storm  of  wind  which  was  approaching,  that  we 
might  weather'it  out,  and  which  also  continued 
throughout  the  whole  night.  On  the  24th  of 
March  the  ship  was  not  permitted  to  sail  dur- 
ing the  whole  forenoon,  on  account  of  the  vio- 
lence of  the  wind.  To-day,  it  was  colder  than 
at  any  time  before  on  my  voyage.  By  some 
observations  made  at  noon,  during  transient 
glimpses  of  the  sun,  our  people  became  aware 
that  we  were  too  far  north.  The  ship  was 
therefore   turned    southward,  with  the   gentle 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  I9I 

wind  which  followed.  On  account  of  the  dis- 
quietude, we  could  not  meet  for  public  service 
to-day.  At  noon  of  March  the  28th,  we  were 
somewhat  alarmed  by  a  tolerably  large  sloop, 
as  with  the  wind  it  came  directly  and  very 
rapidly  towards  us.  However,  when  they  saw 
everything  was  prepared  for  battle,  and  our 
large  flag  raised,  they  took  another  course. 
From  various  circumstances,  we  suspected  that 
their  intention  was  hostile.  In  casting  the  lead, 
we  found  bottom  to-day  for  the  first  time. 
March  the  29th  :  During  last  night,  until  10 
o'clock  this  morning,  there  was  a  lack  of  wind. 
At  noon  a  sloop  again  came  very  near  to  us. 
One  hour  after,  they  raised  their  flag,  we  did 
the.  same,  and  they  sailed  away  on  their  course. 
In  the  afternoon  we  saw  land  for  the  first  time, 
although  very  faintly,  whereat  there  was  great 
joy  with  all.  In  the  evening  another  sloop 
came  very  rapidly  towards  us.  We  immedi- 
ately raised  our  flag,  and  they  did  the  same. 
When  we  discovered  that  they  were  English, 
we  permitted  them  to  approach  nearer  to  our 
ship,  and  inquired  of  each  other  through 
speaking  trumpets,  when  we  found  that  we 
were  thirty  miles  too  far  north,  and   on   the 


192  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

coast  of  New  Jersey.  We  therefore  soon 
tacked  ship.  On  the  30th  of  March,  we  had 
contrary  wind,  but  very  fine  weather.  At  1 1 
o'clock  a  sloop  came  near  us.  They  were  in- 
quired of  who  they  were  and  whither  they 
were  going,  but  they  returned  not  the -least 
answer,  although  the  questions  were  several 
times  earnestly  repeated.  This  finally  obliged 
the  captain  to  fire  upon  them.  Thereupon 
they  answered  all  we  desired  to  know.  They 
were  from  Rhode  Island,  and  bound  for  Phila- 
delphia. 

On  the  1st  of  April  we  had  fine  weather 
but  contrary  wind.  Another  tolerably  large 
ship  sailed  not  far  from  us,  on  the  same  course, 
but  it  never  came  too  near  us.  After  meal 
time,  the  captain  sent  five  of  his  people  with 
the  large  boat,  to  land  at  Cape  Henlopen,  to 
get  a  pilot,  after  we  had  given  notice  by  sev- 
eral discharges  of  cannon,  and  none  had  come. 
Four  of  our.  men  returned  again  late  in  the 
evening,  but  had  to  leave  the  fifth  for  a  pilot, 
as  no  one  was  allowed  to  go  on  board  of  a 
strange  ship,  until  some  of  their  people  had 
been  examined  by  a  magistrate  of  a  neighbor- 
ing village.    We  understood  that  this  was  done 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 93 

for  the  reason  that  a  fleet  of  twenty  Spanish 
ships  of  war,  large  and  small,  under  the  known 
Don  Pietro,  cruised  about  the  coast  here,  and 
the  inhabitants  daily  feared  an  attack.  From 
the  2d  to  the  5th  of  April,  we  had  scarcely 
any  wind.  Nevertheless,  by  the  aid  of  the 
tide,  we  gradually  advanced  so  far  up  the  Del- 
aware, that  early  on  the  5th  of  April  we  were 
only  eight  miles  from  Philadelphia,  but  could 
proceed  no  further.  After  breakfast  the  mer- 
chants sent  a  boat  to  meet  us,  to  fetch  away 
letters.  As  everything  was  packed  up  early 
to-day,  and  I  was  otherwise  ready  to  land,  I 
went  ashore,  and  into  Philadelphia,  with  our 
captain  and  six  passengers,  in  the  Philadelphia 
boat,  where  we  arrived  in  the  evening  about  5 
o'clock,  safely  and  well.  The  Lord  our  God 
be  praised  for  all  his  goodness,  patience  and 
loncr-sufferincr !  I  did  not  find  Mr.  Brunnholtz 
at  home,  as  he  had  to  be  in  Germantown  on 
account  of  a  funeral  and  other  official  duties  ; 
but  I  met  Mr.  Schaum. 

On  the  7th  of  April  the  churcfci  council  re- 
quested me  in  church   to  preach  for  the  con- 
gregation in  the  afternoon,  as  they  all  desired 
and  expected    it.      Although   I   would   rather 
17  N 


194  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

have  as  yet  rested  this  day,  still  I  could  not 
refuse  them.  I  therefore,  according  to  the 
grace  which  God  granted,  preached  on  I  Thes. 
v.  9,  10;  and,  in  the  introductory  prayer,  I 
publicly  praised  and  thanked  God  for  all  the 
spiritual  and  temporal  favors  shown  me  on  the 
whole  voyage,  which  Mr.  Schaum  had  also 
done  in  the  sermon  in  the  forenoon.  After 
church  I  met  my  dear  brother,  Mr.  Brunnholtz, 
at  home,  who  received  me  with  much  joy,  and 
on  the  9th  of  April  rode  with  me  to  Provi- 
dence, to  pastor  Muhlenberg,  whom,  however, 
we  did  not  meet  at  home ;  therefore,  I  only 
spoke  with  him  for  the  first  time  on  the  10th 
of  April,  in  the  house  of  an  Englishman,  not 
far  from  the  church  in  Providence.  He  wel- 
comed me  in  these  words  :  They  that  sozv  with 
tears  shall  reap  with  joy.  On  the  1 1  th  of 
April  we  again  rode  to  Philadelphia,  where,  on 
the  14th,  I  preached  on  John  xix.  6-16.  On 
the  17th  of  April  we  had  a  visit  from  the 
Swedish  preacher  of  this  place,  and  Mr.  Sandin, 
who  had  recently  arrived  in  York,  who  was 
sent  here  as  provost  and  commissary  from 
Upsal,  and  with  whom  I  had  already  spoken 
on    several    occasions,  in   the    harbor  of  Ply- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 95 

mouth.  Our  intercourse  was  very  friendly  and 
profitable,  and  may  perhaps  yet  have  its  bless- 
ing in  the  future.  April  18th  I  preached  in 
Germantown,  on  Titus  ii.  14.  About  4  o'clock 
I  left  here  for  Providence,  to  go  to  pastor 
Muhlenberg,  and  on  the  19th  heard  him  preach, 
to  my  no  small  content.  The  people,  by  their 
attention,  their  devotion  in  singing,  and  their 
reverence  in  their  public  confession  on  their 
knees,  were  to  me  uncommonly  edifying.  At 
dinner,  Mr.  Conrad  Weiser  came  with  an  In- 
dian king  and  his  son.  After  dinner  these  per- 
sons left  for  Philadelphia  on  business.  To- 
wards evening  of  the  20th  of  April,  I  rode 
with  Mr.  Vigera  and  a  warden  to  New  Hanover, 
where  Mr.  Muhlenberg  had  preparatory  service 
that  day.  In  the  forenoon  of  April  the  21st, 
I  preached  there  on  the  Gospel  for  the  first  day 
of  Easter,  and  then  assisted  in  the  administra- 
tion of  the  holy  Supper,  to  perhaps  three  hun- 
dred communicants.  After  Mr.  Muhlenberg 
had  baptized  eight  children  here,  we  had  to 
go  two  miles  further  to  baptize  the  ninth. 
April  the  22d,  I  preached  in  Providence  in  the 
forenoon,  and  assisted  in  administering  the 
Lord's  Supper  to  equally  as  many  communi- 


I96  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

cants.  On  the  23d,  a.  m.,  I  rode  in  company 
with  pastor  Muhlenberg  to  Skippack,  where 
in  a  large  room  I  preached  on  John  xx.  24,  to 
a  considerable  number  of  Lutheran  and  Re- 
formed people.  Early  on  the  25th  of  April  we 
set  out  on  our  journey  to  Lancaster,  viz.,  my 
dear  brethren  Messrs  Muhlenberg  and  Brunn- 
holtz  and  myself,  together  with  Mr.  Vigera.  On 
the  way  Mr.  Muhlenberg  preached  in  english  to 
the  Swedes  in  their  own  church  in  Schwartz- 
walde,  and  Mr.  Brunnholtz  delivered  a  discourse 
in  German  to  the  Germans  who  were  present. 
Several  children  were  also  baptized,  and  a 
couple  joined  in  marriage,  the  ceremonies  of  all 
of  which  lasted  until  nearly  3  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon.  As  a  sermon  was  also  promised 
to  the  people  living  in  and  around  Exeter,  and 
they  were  to  meet  at  3  o'clock,  I  had  to  go 
there  in  all  haste,  with  Mr.  Vigera.  Messrs 
Muhlenberg  and  Brunnholtz,  on  the  contrary, 
still  remained  with  the  Swedes,  waiting  for  Mr. 
Conrad  Weiser  with  the  Indians.  At  5  o'clock 
we  came  to  a  house  not  far  from  the  church, 
where  indeed  there  was  a  number  of  people, 
but  an  uncommonly  great  multitude  of  people 
of  all  sorts  from  a  distance  had  already  left  at 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  1 97 

4  o'clock.  As  those  still  remaining  wished  for 
instruction,  I  had  them  come  into  the  room, 
and  preached  for  them  on  John  v.  40,  in  con- 
siderable weariness  and  weakness ;  yet  I  under- 
stood afterwards,  that  it  was  not  without  a 
blessing  to  many.  During  the  closing  prayer, 
Messrs  Muhlenberg  and  Brunnholtz  arrived, 
who  yet  baptized  two  children.  Early  on 
the  26th  of  April,  we  again  left,  and  arrived 
safely  in  Tulpehocken  in  the  afternoon,  which 
place  Mr.  Weiser,  with  his  Indians,  had  already 
reached  several  hours  before.  About  10  o'clock 
of  the  27th  of  April,  Messrs  Muhlenberg  and 
Brunnholtz  rode  four  miles  further  to  church, 
for  service  preparatory  to  the  holy  Supper. 
They  left  me  at  home,  however,  to  rest  some- 
what, and  to  meditate  on  my  sermon  for  to- 
morrow. Early  on  April  the  28th,  we  rode  to 
church  together,  where  we  met  uncommonly 
many  people  from  far  and  near.  Before  preach- 
ing, Mr.  Muhlenberg  had  preparatory  service 
with  a  considerable  number  of  people  who 
were  not  present  yesterday,  and  yet  desired 
to  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  After  that 
Mr.  Brunnholtz  baptized  a  child,  and  then  I 
preached  on    Matt.   v.   6.     After  the   sermon, 


I98  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

Mr.  Muhlenberg  made  an  exhortation  to  the 
communicants,  and  then  Mr.  Brunnholtz  and 
myself  administered  the  holy  Supper  to  a  great 
multitude  of  people.  In  all  those  exercises 
the  people  were  very  quiet  and  attentive,  and 
at  least  outwardly  devotional ;  all  of  them  also 
remained  to  the  close.  At  4  o'clock  we  rode 
together  two  miles  to  a  church  recently  built, 
where  Mr.  Kurtz  had  to  preach,  which  the 
Herrnhuter  had  wished  to  appropriate  to  them- 
selves by  fraud. 

Early  on  the  3d  of  May  we  traveled  from 
Tulpehocken  to  Lancaster,  where  we  arrived 
safely  towards  evening.  May  5th,  as  the  Sun- 
day Misericordias  Domini,  of  the  old  alma- 
nac, I  preached  here  in  Lancaster  on  the  Gos- 
pel John  x.  12,  to  an  uncommonly  large  con- 
gregation. Before  sermon,  Mr.  *Brunnholtz 
baptized  nine  children.  After  service,  the  dear 
brethren,  Messrs  Muhlenberg  and  Brunnholtz, 
remained  in  the  church  to  speak  with  the  con- 
gregation, and  to  elect  a  church  council  and 
new  wardens,  which  lasted  until  two  o'clock. 
In  the  afternoori  Mr.  Brunnholtz  preached.  In 
the  afternoon  of  May  the  6th,  Mr.  Muhlenberg 
made  the  proposal  to  me,  in  the  name  of  the 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  1 99 

congregation,  whether  I  would  for  a  time  un- 
dertake to  labor  in  this  congregation,  to  which 
I  consented,  under  the  very  wise  written  con- 
ditions presented  to  me,  which  I  and  the  whole 
church  council  undersigned,  and  thereupon 
gave  each  other  the  right  hand.  May  7th  I 
preached  in  Earltown,  fourteen  miles  from 
Lancaster,  on  Acts  v.  31,  and  assisted  Mr. 
Brunnholtz  in  administering  the  holy  Supper 
to  a  considerable  number  of  communicants, 
after  Mr.  Muhlenberg  had  had  preparatory 
service  with  them.  In  the  afternoon  we  con- 
tinued our  journey,  but  on  account  of  the 
rainy  weather  had  to  stop  by  the  way,  and 
thoroughly  wet,  we  only  arrived  again  in  the 
afternoon  of  the  8th  of  May,  in  Providence. 
May  10th,  I,  with  Mr.  Brunnholtz,  again  left 
this  place,  and  towards  evening,  thank  God,  we 
again  safely  arrived  in  Philadelphia.  Early  on 
the  1 2th  of  May,  I  rode  to  Germantown,  where, 
as  the  people  say,  I  preached  to  an  extraordin- 
arily large  congregation  of  Lutherans,  Re- 
formed, Mennonites,  and  six  negroes.  On  the 
1 6th  of  May,  on  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Muhlenberg, 
who  came  day  before  yesterday  evening,  we  mu- 
tually considered  and  agreed  upon  many  things 


200  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

which  relate  to  the  congregations  and  the  ex- 
ercise of  our  office.  I  cannot  sufficiently  thank 
the  Lord  our  God,  for  these  dear  brethren  and 
colleagues,  who  are  of  such  advantage  to  me. 
This  forenoon  we  were  visited  by  the  Swed- 
ish provost,  Mr.  Sandin,  and  in  the  afternoon 
Mr.  Muhlenberg  again  departed.  On  the  17th  of 
May,  in  the  afternoon,  we  received  a  visit  from 
the  Presbyterian  preacher,  viz.,  Mr.  Tennent, 
who  is  much  beloved  by  us.  The  conversa- 
tion was  instructive,  pleasant  and  kind.  He 
remained  here  until  late  in  the  evening,  and  not 
without  our  great  delight  and  edification.  May 
19th  I  preached  in  Philadelphia,  both  in  the 
forenoon  and  afternoon,  and  baptized  a  child. 
Mr.  Brunnholtz  was  in  Germantown.  On  the 
23d  of  May  I  set  out  on  my  journey  to  Lan- 
caster, in  company  with  Mr.  Vigera,  who,  for 
my  relief  in  external  matters,  goes  with  me 
for  a  time.  On  the  24th  I  had  to  baptize  an 
English  child  at  an  English  inn,  by  the  way. 
After  our  arrival  in  Lancaster,  I  first  of  all 
called  upon  God  for  all  I  thought  most  neces- 
sary for  us.  This  I  did  in  my  room,  with  the 
members  of  the  church  council  and  wardens, 
and  the  school-master,  who  had  come  to  meet 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  201 

us  as  far  as  the  last  stream.  The  remaining 
time  was  passed  in  edifying  conversation  on 
various  topics.  On  the  26th  of  May,  after  the 
close  of  the  forenoon  service,  the  members  of 
the  congregation  tarried,  to  whom  the  school- 
master read  Messrs  Muhlenberg  and  Brunn- 
holtz's  letter  to  the  congregation,  in  relation  to 
me.  I  then  went  before  the  altar,  and  ad- 
dressed the  whole  congregation,  had  the  twelve 
members  of  the  church  council  come  around 
the  altar,  read  every  article  to  them  which  they 
had  subscribed  to  at  their  election,  and  again 
asked  them  if  that  was  their  intention  still,  and 
if  they  would  abide  by  it  ?  Whereupon,  one 
after  the  other,  having  given  me  their  hand, 
promised  me  to  do  all  this  with  the  help  of 
God,  whereto  I  heartily  wished  them  much 
grace  from  God.  After  that  I  had  the  six 
wardens  come  before  the  altar.  I  set  forth 
before  them  their  special  duties  as  wardens, 
and  exhorted  them  to  do  all  that  which  God 
should  give  them  opportunity  to  do  to  advance 
his  kingdom  in  our  congregation.  All  of 
which  they  also  promised  me,  with  a  clasp  of 
their  hands,  and  I  wished  them  grace  thereto. 
Finally,   I    closed   with   a    prayer,   wherein    I 


202  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

presented  everything  circumstantially  to  God. 
These  exercises  did  not  pass  without  emotion 
and  tears.  At  3  p.  m.,  Mr.  Schaum  preached. 
Several  persons  from  Earltown,  from  Beaver 
Creek,  and  Strasburg  township,  came  to  speak 
with  me,  whether  I  could  also  serve  them  with 
the  word  of  God,  and  when,  whom  I  informed 
as  well  as  I  could  at  present.  At  noon  of  May 
the  28th,  I,  together  with  Messrs  Schaum  and 
Vigera,  rode  to  Yorktown,  a  place  recently  ( 
located  on  the  other  side  of  the  Susquehanna, 
which  is  a  very  broad  stream,  and  on  account 
of  the  many  rocks,  a  dangerous  river.  As 
soon  as  we  had  arrived  in  the  evening,  I  in- 
formed myself  of  the  circumstances  and  of  the 
condition  of  the  congregation.  Early  on  the 
29th  of  May,  we  were  taken  to  several  of  the 
most  respectable  members  of  the  congregation, 
with  whom  I  had  many  things  to  consult  upon. 
Thereupon  I  had  notice  given,  that  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Lutheran  congregation  should 
meet  this  afternoon  at  3  o'clock  in  our  church, 
to  confer  with  me  concerning  new  wardens  and 
elders,  as  the  time  of  the  former  had  already 
expired  long  ago.  In  the  afternoon  I  stated 
our    object    to    the    assembled    congregation, 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  203 

and  after  singing  and  prayer,  proceeded  to 
the  election  of  two  new  wardens  and  elders. 
They  were  elected  by  a  plurality  of  votes,  and 
as  I  had  very  heartily  called  upon  God  that 
he  might  direct  the  election,  so  also,  perhaps, 
we  could  not  have  obtained  any  better  than 
we  did  get.  After  that,  several  necessary  mat- 
ters were  yet  spoken  of  with  the  congregation. 
On  the  30th  of  May,  I  conversed  the  whole 
forenoon  with  those  who  applied  to  me  for  the 
holy  Supper,  and  whom,  with  the  assistance  of 
several  of  the  best  members  of  the  congrega- 
tion, I  sought  to  examine,  and  to  give  to  each 
one  the  necessary  exhortation,  according  to 
the  grace  given  from  God.  After  this  we  went 
into  the  church,  where  there  was  an  indescrib- 
able multitude  of  people  of  all  kinds  of  sects, 
of  whom  many,  on  account  of  want  of  room, 
placed  themselves  around  the  church.  Before 
Mr.  Schaum's  sermon,  I  baptized  two  children. 
After  the  sermon  I  presented  the  two  new 
wardens  and  the  two  elders  before  the  whole 
congregation,  put  them  in  mind  of  their  duties, 
and  prayed  for  them.  Afterwards,  I  read  to 
the  congregation  the  instrumaitum  vocationis 
(the  call)  of  Mr.  Schaum  to  York,  composed 


204  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

by  my  dear  brethren,  Messrs  Muhlenberg  and 
Brunnholtz,  introduced  him  there,  gave  him, 
according  to  my  apprehension,  the  most  neces- 
sary admonition,  and  closed  this  act  by  prayer. 
Finally  I  invited  those  to  come  forward  who 
were  to  be  confirmed,  of  whom  there  were  six- 
teen, and  examined  and  confirmed  them.  They 
could  still  repeat  the  catechism  tolerably  well. 
In  each  principal  article,  I  sought  to  press 
home  to  their  hearts  the  most  necessary  doc- 
trines. Kneeling,  I  in  the  name  of  all  renewed 
the  baptismal  covenant  by  a  prayer,  wherein 
nearly  all  the  people  in  the  church  prostrated 
themselves  with  us,  and  this  also  did  not  pass 
without  tears  and  emotion.  Between  each  of 
these  acts  mentioned,  I  had  a  suitable  verse  of 
familiar  hymns  sung.  Towards  evening,  three 
wardens  from  Conewago,  twenty  miles  further, 
on  the  borders  of  Maryland,  announced  them- 
selves to  take  me  to  that  place.  According  to 
the  arrangement  of  my  dear  brethren,  I  was  to 
see  whether  York  and  Conewago  could  not  be 
united,  and  the  worship  of  God  be  alternately 
attended  to  in  these  places  by  Mr.  Schaum. 
Early  on  the  31st  of  May,  many  still  as  yet 
applied  to  me  for  the  holy  Supper.     At  9.30 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  205 

we  went  into  the  church  in  York.  I  delivered 
the  preparatory  discourse ;  afterwards  we  all 
kneeled,  and  after  confession,  I  made  a  short 
prayer  and  absolved  them.  When  Mr.  Schaum 
had  preached,  I  administered  the  holy  Supper. 
In  the  afternoon,  until  late  in  the  evening,  we 
were  much  occupied  with  an  old,  deeply  rooted 
matter  in  dispute,  which,  however,  after  much 
prayer  and  affectionate  persuasion,  was  laid 
aside  and  wholly  removed.  To  relate  the 
matter  would  be  far  too  lengthy.  It  certainly 
will  make  an  impression,  and  occasion  joy  in 
the  whole  congregation,  and  so  much  the  more, 
as  much  depends  on  the  contending  parties. 

Early  on  the  1st  of  June,  Mr.  Vigera,  as  also 
a  warden  from  the  congregation  in  York,  one 
from  Conewago,  and  I,  rode  to  the  last  named 
place.  As  soon  as  we  came  into  that  region, 
we  had  the  other  wardens,  who  live  from  three 
to  four  miles  apart,  come  together  as  soon  as 
possible.  One  of  them,  however,  who  had 
hitherto  taken  sides  with  old  Mr.  Kraft,  ex- 
cused himself.  When  I  noticed  that  there 
was  a  division  in  the  congregation,  and  that 
Mr.  Kraft  was  to  preach  to-morrow,  I  refused  to 
preach   for  them.      However,  after   much   en- 


206        REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

treaty  on  their  part,  I  promised  it,  on  condition 
that  it  could  be  done  by  the  approbation  of 
all.  We  had  all  therefore  to  mount  again,  and 
although  somewhat  late,  we  rode  four  miles  to 
the  absent  warden,  who  is  regarded  as  of  con- 
siderable respectability.  When  we  came  to 
him,  I  made  known  to  him  the  nature  of  my 
business,  and  that  our  object  was  not  to  dis- 
possess Mr.  Kraft.  Just  when  I  interceded  for 
him,  that  they  should  annually  give  him  some- 
thing certain,  on  account  of  his  advanced  age 
and  other  great  infirmities,  especially  as  a  con- 
siderable part  of  their  congregation  had  ac- 
cepted of  him  by  writing  for  one  year,  the 
old  man  himself  entered  the  room.  I  imme- 
diately related  to  him  the  import  of  our  con- 
versation; and  the  particular  reasons  of  our 
presence,  but  could  obtain  no  suitable  answer 
from  him  for  our  purpose  but  this,  that  it 
would  be  agreeable  to  him  if  I  preached  for 
him  to-morrow,  but  to  retire  again  from  the 
congregation  would  be  a  disgrace  to  him,  as 
many  had  accepted  of  him  for  one  year  as 
their  regular  preacher.  Otherwise  I  spoke 
much  with  him  of  the  importance  of  the 
teacher's  office,  and  of  the  heavy  responsibil- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  207 

ity  of  the  preachers  in  their  unfaithfulness  and 
carnal  purposes,  to  which  he  said  not  a  word. 
On  the  2d  of  June  I  preached  in  Conewago  at 
the  school-house,  in  the  open  air,  whilst  parson 
Kraft  sat  on  my  right  at  a  small  table,  and  a 
great  multitude  of  people  of  all  kinds  of  sects 
were  gathered  around  us,  among  whom  there 
was  also  a  Moravian  preacher.  I  also  baptized 
two  children,  and  thank  God,  everything  passed 
off  quietly  and  orderly.  After  service,  to  my 
surprise,  old  Mr.  Kraft  and  the  above  men- 
tioned warden  showed  themselves  uncom- 
monly courteous  toward  me.  In  the  after- 
noon, escorted  by  several  wardens,  having 
meanwhile  much  conversation  with  each  other, 
we  returned,  and  in  the  evening  arrived  safely 
in  York  again.  June  3d,  I,  together  with 
Mr.  Vigera,  returned  to  Lancaster.  On  the  7th 
of  June,  seven  persons  from  Earltown  were  with 
me,  and  very  humbly  requested  a  sermon  on 
the  2d — Whitsuntide — which,  however,  not- 
withstanding their  persevering  entreaty,  the 
church  council  of  this  place  and  the  wardens 
refused.  On  the  15th  of  June  the  first  church 
council  in  Lancaster  was  held,  with  the  assis- 
tance of  the  wardens;  and  among  other  things, 


208  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

it  was  enacted,  that  every  four  weeks,  on  Sat- 
urday afternoon,  the  twelve  church  councilmen 
and  the  six  wardens  should  come  together  to 
me,  and  no  one  absent  himself  without  urgent 
necessity.  Every  two  weeks,  on  the  contrary, 
only  those  who  could  and  desired  it,  should 
meet.  On  the  16th  of  June  I  rode,  together 
with  six  wardens  and  church  councilmen,  from 
Lancaster  to  Earltown,  fourteen  miles  from 
this  place,  preached  there,  had  a  repetition  and 
instruction,  and  talked  of  many  things  with  the 
congregation  concerning  their  future  arrange- 
ments. The  resolution  of  the  church  council 
of  Lancaster,  and  the  conditions  under  which 
they  could  also  participate  in  my  calling,  was 
also  made  known  to  them  by  a  writing  pre- 
viously examined  in  the  church  council.  On 
the  22d  of  June  I  held  the  second  session  of 
the  church  council  and  of  the  wardens,  where- 
in it  was  resolved,  that  after  divine  service  to- 
morrow the  congregation  be  requested  to  re- 
main, that  I  might  entreat  them  to  give  notice 
of  those  children  and  young  people,  of  Luth- 
eran parentage,  who  are  at  service  with  those 
of  strange  religious  relations  and  sects,  as  we 
are  bound  to  care  for  these  poor  children  to 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  200, 

the  utmost,  and  to  hold  them  to  the  service  of 
God,  and  to  instruct  them.  Delegates  from 
Earltown  also  were  present  in  the  church 
council,  and  brought  along  with  them  the  con- 
sent of  their  congregation  to  the  conditions 
enacted.  Early  on  the  26th  of  June  I  rode  to 
Earltown,  where  I  spoke  with  the  whole  con- 
gregation in  the  church  concerning  the  election 
of  new  wardens,  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  all, 
two  very  fine  men  were  selected  by  a  plurality 
of  votes.  After  sermon  I  presented  the  two 
newly  elected  wardens  before  the  congregation 
with  prayer,  and  gave  a  charge  to  them  concern- 
ing the  duties  resting  upon  them.  I  then  invited 
the  young  people  to  come  forward,  and  held  a 
rehearsal  and  catechisation.  On  the  29th  of 
June  I  held  the  third  session  of  the  church 
council  here  in  Lancaster,  wherein  it  was  unan- 
imously resolved,  that  once  every  week,  two 
church  councilmen  and  one  warden  should  visit 
our  daily  increasing  school  with  me.  June  30th, 
between  the  morning  and  afternoon  service, 
people  who  were  sent  by  a  small  Lutheran 
congregation  from  Strasburg  township,  came 
and  most  earnestly  entreated  that  I  should  in- 
deed also  care  for  their  souls,  to  whom,  how- 
18*  O 


210  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

ever,  I  could  not  as  yet  give  a  certain  answer, 
but  many  a  necessary  admonition. 

On  the  3d  of  July.  Nyberg,  who  had  been 
a  Lutheran,  and  became  a  Moravian  preacher, 
who  occasioned  so  much  division  and  irrepar- 
able injury  here,  removed  from  this  place  to 
Bethlehem.  July  the  7th,  I  had  much  to  do 
with  several  people  from  Strasburg  township, 
who  would  by  no  means  take  a  refusal.  Upon 
their  many  entreaties,  I  had  at  last  to  promise 
that  after  eight  days  I  would  visit  them  and 
preach  for  them.  On  the  9th  of  July  I  rode 
into  the  country  to  visit  some  people  on  their 
plantations,  where  I  found  sundry  excellent 
people ;  and  among  others,  a  young  man  wTho 
was  awakened  on  last  Whitsuntide,  gave  me 
pleasure  and  a  good  hope  that  he  would  per- 
severe in  the  good  begun.  July  19th  I  visited 
our  school,  which  increases  very  much,  and 
consists  of  English,  Irish,  Germans,  Lutherans, 
and  also  of  one  Reformed,  although  one  Eng- 
lish and  one  German  Reformed  school  are  in 
this  place.  The  people  harass  the  school- 
master much  with  their  children,  all  of  whom 
it  is  impossible  for  him  to  receive  or  attend  to. 
Early  on  the  24th  of  July  I  was  taken  to  Stras- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  211 

• 

burg  township,  fourteen  miles  from  here,  to 
preach  and  to  take  charge  of  the  congregation 
of  that  place.  I  entreated  the  people  very  im- 
pressively, publicly  and  particularly,  to  spare 
me  if  they  were  not  very  earnestly  concerned 
for  their  edification  unto  salvation,  as  I  had 
more  to  do  in  two  other  congregations  than  I 
could  well  attend  to,  and  the  road  to  them  was 
too  far  and  entirely  too  fatiguing,  as  it  was 
necessary  to  ride  over  a  tolerably  large  stream, 
two  pretty  large  rivulets,  and  several  stony  and 
marshy  tracts  of  country. 

On  the  4th  of  August,  the  holy  Supper  was 
administered  to  185  communicants,  with  whom 
preparatory  service  and  confession  were  held 
yesterday  and  to-day.  The  number  of  these 
would  yet  have  been  far  greater,  if  many,  liv- 
ing in  a  disorderly  manner,  had  not  been  turned 
away.  In  the  afternoon,  I  had  rehearsal  and 
instruction.  On  the  6th  of  August,  after  a 
marriage  sermon,  I  united  in  wedlock  two  fine 
people,  of  whom  the  man  is  Reformed;  at 
which  one  of  the  principal  Indian  women  was 
present,  in  her  strange  costume,  and  who  con- 
ducted herself  quietly  and  modestly  all  the 
time.     For  twelve  days  past,  upwards  of  thirty 


212        REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

• 

Indians  are  here  on  public  business.  August 
the  9th,  as  our  school  has  almost  daily  in- 
creased for  two  months  past,  and  it  is  impos- 
sible for  our  school-master  to  attend  to  and  to 
superintend  it,  we  were  constrained  to  apply  to 
Mr.  Vigera  for  assistance,  who  was  also  found 
willing  to  take  twenty-four  of  the  children.  He 
began  this  labor  in  the  school  on  the  3d  of 
July,  and  has  continued  it  to  this  time,  and  not 
without  a  perceptible  advantage  ;  although  it 
often  became  very  burdensome  to  him,  on  ac- 
count of  much  too  little  room,  and  the  frequent 
very  great  heat.  On  the  12th  of  August,  Mr. 
Schaum,  with  a  justice  of  the  peace,  his  land- 
lord in  York,  came  to  visit  me.  We  had  much 
to  say  to  each  other  about  York,  Conewago, 
and  yet  another  place  called  Bermudian.  Yet 
this  evening  delegated  wardens  from  Conewago 
came,  who  in  their  letter  to  us  very  humbly 
asked  for  Mr.  Schaum.  On  the  17th  of  August, 
a  meeting  of  the  church  council  was  held,  and 
three  members  of  that  body  and  one  warden 
were  chosen  as  delegates  to  attend  the  church 
dedication,  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Kurtz,  and 
the  synod  in  Philadelphia.  But  the  rest  were 
at  liberty,  according  to  their  external  circum- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  213 

• 

stances,  to  attend  or  not.  In  Earltown,  a  war- 
den was  also  elected  for  this  purpose.  On  the 
2 1st  of  August,  I  set  out  for  Philadelphia,  and 
arrived  there  safely  on  the  day  following.  Pas- 
tor Hartwick  also  came  soon  after.  On  the 
23d  of  August,  the  most  important  questions 
of  every  part  of  theology  were  proposed  to 
Mr.  Kurtz,  to  be  answered  in  writing.  On  the 
24th  of  August,  after  the  arrival  of  pastor 
Muhlenberg  from  Providence,  he  presented  his 
written  answer  to  all  questions  proposed  to 
him,  which  we  read  through  together,  and  ex- 
amined them  a  little,  and  thereupon  an  oral 
examination  of  him  was  instituted.  After- 
wards, whatever  was  necessary  in  relation  to 
Mr.  Kurtz  was  talked  over  with  the  whole 
church  council  from  Tulpehocken.  On  the 
25th  of  August,  about  10  o'clock,  we  preachers 
together  with  the  church  council,  elders,  and 
wardens  of  each  congregation,  proceeded  to 
church  by  pairs.  Mr.  Muhlenberg  consecrated 
the  church  recently  erected  in  Philadelphia, 
which  each  preacher,  kneeling  around  the  altar, 
confirmed  by  a  brief  prayer.  The  sermon  was 
delivered  by  me  on  the  Gospel  of  the  ioth  Sun- 
day after  Trinity.    After  the  sermon,  Mr.  Hart- 


214  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

wick  and  I  held  the  communion,  in  which  we 
united  preachers  all  participated.  In  the  after- 
noon, Mr.  Hartwick  preached,  and  after  his  ser- 
mon, Mr.  Kurtz  was  ordained.  That  which 
was  necessary,  Mr.  Muhlenberg  set  before  him 
affectingly  and  impressively,  and  thereupon, 
he,  the  Swedish  provost,  Mr.  Sandin  the 
Swedish  preacher,  Mr.  Naessman,  Mr.  Hart- 
wick, Mr.  Brunnholtz,  and  myself,  laid  hands 
upon  him,  and  then  we  all  wished  him  much 
blessing  from  the  Lord.  On  the  26th  of 
August,  Mr.  Kurtz  preached.  After  preaching, 
a  synod  was  held,  wherein  everything  passed 
orderly  and  peacefully,  for  which  we  cannot 
sufficiently  thank  God.  On  the  27th  of  Au- 
gust, I  went  with  Mr.  Muhlenberg  from  Phil- 
adelphia to  Providence,  and  the  day  following 
from  there  to  Lancaster. 

On  the  17th  of  September,  a  beginning  was 
made  in  the  preparation  of  the  youth  for  the 
holy  Supper.  This  was  done  publicly  in  the 
church,  in  presence  of  the  church  council,  the 
wardens,  the  parents  and  masters,  and  some 
other  people.  All  the  children  of  the  school 
had  to  be  present  also.  First  of  all,  I  delivered 
a  discourse  on  2  Tim.  iii.  15-17,   and    in  the 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  215 

application  put  five  different  questions  to  the 
hearts  of  the  youth,  which  they  all  answered 
by  audibly  saying  yes,  and  each  one  by  strik- 
ing hands.  There  are  already  twenty-eight 
young  people,  who  all  desire  this  prepar- 
ation, among  whom  there  are  five  who  can- 
not, as  yet,  even  read,  and  several  of  them 
live  from  six  to  nine  miles  from  here,  and 
are  also  mostly  from  eighteen  to  twenty  years 
old.  I  then  placed  them  before  the  church 
council,  to  examine  them  and  their  parents, 
and  to  point  out  to  me  that  which  was  nec- 
essary for  their  best  well-being.  Now  as 
they  promised  the  church  council  and  the  war- 
dens obedience  and  love,  giving  their  hands  on 
it,  I  instituted  a  short  examination,  spoke  with 
the  parents  and  masters,  and  then  it  was  de- 
creed that  the  youth  should  meet  me  twice  a 
week  for  preparation.  This  act  did  not  pass 
without  a  blessing  and  emotion.  More,  it 
seems,  may  be  effected  with  the  young  people 
than  with  the  old.  They  also  manifest  consid- 
erable industry  in  learning  the  most  important 
passages  which  are  given  them.  At  instruction 
there  are  of  people,  large  and  small,  generally 
some  seventy,  who  give  to  me  both  joy  and  hope. 


2l6  REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

The  Lord,  my  good  and  faithful  God,  must 
be  praised  by  me  here,  and  into  all  eternity, 
that  he  gives  strength  to  me,  the  weak,  and 
graciously  supports  me  from  week  to  week, 
and  from  one  work  to  another.  According  to 
his  mercy  may  he  so  continue,  and  that  for 
which  I  implore  him  most,  not  to  permit  the 
work  of  my  calling  to  be  in  vain,  neither  in  my 
own  nor  in  the  souls  entrusted  to  me,  but  let 
it  lead  to  a  true  and  eternally-abiding  blessing, 
for  the  glory  of  his  name  1 

John  Frederick  Handschuch. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

FOURTH    CONTINUATION    OF  THE  REPORT  OF  SEV- 
ERAL EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CONGREGATIONS 

IN  AMERICA,  ESPECIALLY   IN    PENNSYLVANIA. 

A  REPORT  OF  THE  MOST  RECENT    CIRCUMSTAN- 
CES  THE     MISSION    OF   TWO    NEW    ASSISTANTS 

WHAT  WAS    REPORTED  IN  THE  LATEST    LET- 
TERS     FROM      PENNSYLVANIA REMINISCENCES 

AGAINST  COUNT  VON    ZINZENDORF,  WHICH  ARE 
SUBJOINED  AS  AN  APPENDAGE. 

Although  it  was  promised  in  the  preced- 
ing third  continuation  that  this  fourth  should 
follow  yet  the  same  autumn,  and  that  therein 
should  be  communicated  the  welcome  intelli- 
gence from  pastor  Muhlenberg,  of  many 
edifying  examples  of  various  persons,  now  for 
the  most  part  deceased,  who  were  awakened  to 
a  concern  for  their  souls'  salvation,  through  the 
preaching  of  the  word  of  God ;  many  ob- 
stacles, however,  coming  between  delayed  the 
fulfilment  of  this  promise  on  the  one  hand,  and 
on  the  other  this  delay  was  also  occasioned 
19  (217) 


2l8  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

by  the  expectation  that  yet,  before  the  winter 
just  passed,  two  new  fellow-laborers  should 
set  out  for  Pennsylvania.  For  it  was  intended 
at  the  same  time  to  communicate  some  infor- 
mation concerning  these,  but  this  matter  being 
deferred  from  one  time  to  another,  so  this 
continuation  was  in  like  manner,  unperceived, 
delayed  thereby. 

§  2.  But  now,  that  under  many  indications 
of  the  Divine  providence,  two  new  assistants 
are  on  the  point  of  making  ready  for  their 
departure,  this  article  should  be  delayed  no 
longer,  wherein,  first  of  all,  in  this  section, 
some  circumstances  relating  to  them  are  to  be 
noticed,  and  then  to  note  that  which  is  most 
necessary  of  the  latest  intelligence  from  Penn- 
sylvania, which  was  received  since  last  fall. 

§  3.  As  respects  the  first,  when  pastor 
Handschuch  was  sent  in  1747,  it  did  not  please 
the  Lord  to  indicate  a  second  candidate,  and  to 
make  him  willing  to  accept  the  call.  Therefore, 
although  two  were  desired,  he  had  to  go  alone. 
It  was,  however,  easily  foreseen  even  then  that 
the  preachers  as  well  as  the  congregations 
would  still  further  present  their  necessities  and 
desire  that  more  be  sent.     Now,  although  the 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  2IO, 

nearest  want  of  some  congregations  was  re- 
moved for  the  present  by  the  commission  of 
Messrs.  Kurtz  and  Schaum  as  their  regular 
preachers,  it  was  manifest  from  the  following 
letters  of  the  preachers,  that  the  labor  in  the 
congregations  already  supplied  with  preachers 
not  only  increased,  but  also  that  the  desire 
arose  in  still  more  congregations  likewise  to 
participate  in  the  instruction  of  the  word  of 
God. 

§  4.  In  the  letters  received  during  the  last 
year,  this,  among  other  things,  was  ascertained 
and  reported,  that  the  preachers,  especially 
pastors  Brunnholtz  and  Handschuch,  as  their 
labor  daily  increased,  needed  help,  on  ac- 
count of  their  bodily  infirmities.  Also,  that 
various  other  forsaken  congregations,  whicJi 
will  be  more  fully  noticed  hereafter,  applied  to 
them  anew,  and  requested  that  they  might  in 
part  be  supplied  with  preachers  of  their  own, 
and  in  part  visited  by  them  occasionally,  and 
be  instructed  in  the  word  of  God,  and  also  that 
the  holy  Supper  might  be  administered  to 
them.  Therefore  they,  viz.,  the  preachers,  en- 
tered in  their  name  and  in  the  name  of  the  con- 
gregations that  several  new  assistants  might,  by 


220  REPORTS   FROM    LUTHERAN 

the  next  opportunity,  be  chosen  for  them  and 
sent  over  by  Dr.  and  Prof.  Franke,  of  Halle. 
This  petition  was  also  strongly  seconded  by 
the  royal  court  preacher  of  Great  Britain, 
Mr.  Frederick  Michael  Ziegenhagen,  who  from 
the  first  interested  himself  for  these  Pennsyl- 
vania congregations  with  a  laudable  zeal  and  a 
special  care,  that  first  of  all,  two  suitable  labor- 
ers might  be  sent,  to  see  meanwhile  how  far 
these  would  suffice  for  the  present  necessity. 
§  5.  But  the  congregations,  partly  because 
they  still  had  church  debts  to  pay,  and  partly, 
also,  on  account  of  their  own  poverty,  were  not 
at  present  able  to  defray  the  expenses  required 
for  the  voyage.  This  occasioned  not  a  small 
trial.  Dr.  Franke  did  not  like  to  leave  the  hith- 
erto faithful  laborers  without  help,  and  the 
sheep  as  yet  straying  without  a  shepherd  to  per- 
ish, on  the  one  hand ;  and  on  the  other,  had  not 
sufficient  means  in  hand,  upon  which  he  could 
reckon  to  defray  expenses.  Something  must 
therefore  be  ventured  on  the  kind  providence 
of  the  rich  God,  for  whom  it  is  a  small  thing  to 
give  whatever  he  sees  necessary  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  his  kingdom ;  in  the  hope  that 
his     heart-controlling    power    would    awaken 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  221 

benevolent  patrons,  kindly  to  contribute  some- 
thing of  their  temporal  blessings,  for  this  exi- 
gency, that  these  new  co- laborers  may  be  sent 
in  free,  by  such  assistance. 

§  6.  In  this  reliance  upon  God,  the  first  step 
was  taken  in  the  matter,  and  it  was  earnestly 
thought  of,  that  the  two  fellow-laborers  longed 
for,  might  under  divine  guidance  be  found. 
For  this  purpose  a  number  of  theological  can- 
didates were  proposed,  among  whom  was  Mr. 
Frederick  Schulze,  from  Konigsberg  in  Prussia, 
who  had  already,  in  the  autumn  of  1 750,  shown 
himself  almost  willing  to  follow  the  will  and 
call  of  God  to  Pennsylvania,  and  to  let  him- 
self be  used  there,  as  necessity  might   require. 

§  7.  Now,  in  the  meanwhile,  when  every  ef- 
fort was  made  in  seeking  for  the  second  candi- 
date also,  the  faithful  God  began  to  manifest 
his  help,  inasmuch  a*  he  awakened  an  unknown 
benefactress  in  Germany,  to  remit  to  the  well- 
remembered  court  preacher  Ziegenhagen,  a 
generous  contribution  of  800  Rix  dollars,  for 
the  advancement  of  the  institutions  in  Penn- 
sylvania; whereby,  therefore,  the  anxiety  con- 
cerning the  expenses  of  the  voyage  was  re- 
moved and  such  a  wonderful  and  kind  help 
19* 


222  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

from  God  was  acknowledged  with  so  much 
the  more  humble  thanks,  as  except  this,  there 
was  nothing  whereof  that  which  was  neces- 
sary could  have  been  taken.  His  name  be 
praised,  that  in  this  matter  he  did  not  permit 
his  servants  to  hope  for  his  aid  in  vain,  and 
their  faith  to  come  to  shame.  May  he  also,  as 
our  Father  in  heaven,  who  seeth  in  secret,  re- 
ward this  unknown  benefactress  for  such  a  lib- 
eral contribution,  publicly  and  with  an  endless 
blessing. 

§  8.  Now,  although  this  providence  of  God 
conduced  to  renewed  encouragement  to  think 
the  more  earnestly  of  the  second  candidate, 
and  although  there  was  no  cessation  in  offering 
the  call  to  this  vineyard  to  those  in  whom  we 
could  have  confidence,  that  they  might  be 
employed  with  advantage,  yet  some  were  pre- 
vented by  their  parents  from  accepting  it,  and 
others  were  unable  to  come  to  a  conclusion 
thereto,  by  reason  of  their  own  circumstances. 
Whereupon  not  only  the  preceding  autumn, 
but  the  winter  also,  passed  without  finding  the 
second  laborer.  Yea,  as  so  many  difficulties 
presented  themselves,  and  in  the  spring  of  the 
year  still   more  occurred,  the  whole  business 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  223 

might  almost  have  been  given  up  for  this  year, 
under  the  impression  that  perhaps  it  might  as 
yet  not  be  the  proper  time,  if  new  and  urgent 
representations  had  not  been  made  from  Eng- 
land, that  nevertheless  the  necessity  required 
that  yet  this  year  some  one  be  sent  to  Pennsyl- 
vania. 

§  9.  In  the  meanwhile  letters  again  arrived 
from  Pennsylvania,  in  which  pastor  Brunnholtz 
reported  that  as  his  bodily  constitution  was 
feeble,  it  was  too  burdensome  for  him  when  he 
was  frequently  called  to  visit  the  sick  in  Ger- 
mantown  in  the  severest  cold,  or  in  stormy, 
rainy  weather,  or  had  a  funeral  there,  or  other 
official  duties,  and  besides  had  to  attend  to  his 
daily  labors  at  home,  in  the  congregation  in 
Philadelphia ;  that  both  congregations,  and 
especially  that  in  Philadelphia,  are  dissatisfied  if 
he  does  not  himself  preach  every  Sunday,  and 
as  he  cannot  do  this  in  both  places  at  the  same 
time,  he  was  obliged  only  to  have  a  sermon 
read  from  a  postil  at  the  one  place.  Neverthe- 
less, the  congregation  in  Germantown  was" 
unwilling  to  part  with  him.  But  if  a  preacher 
were  sent  from  Halle,  and  accepted  as  his 
adjunct,  and  lived  in   Germantown,    preached 


224  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

there  regularly,  and  performed  the  other  duties 
of  a  preacher  in  the  congregation,  and  they 
occasionally  exchanging  pulpits  with  each 
other,  they  were  ready  to  provide  for  his 
necessary  support.  The  congregation  in  Phila- 
delphia would  also  thereby  be  satisfied,  as  they 
frequently  complain  that  they  lose  much  by 
the  Germantown  congregation. 

§  10.  Now,  as  the  necessity  of  the  speedy 
mission  of  the  assistants  was  recognized  anew, 
from  this  intelligence,  and  for  this  object  prayer 
was  further  persevered  in,  God  heard  and 
graciously  designated  the  second  laborer  in  the 
person  of  John  Dietrich  Matthias  Heintzel- 
mann,  born  in  Saltzwedel  in  Altenmarck,  who,  a 
few  weeks  ago,  with  the  consent  of  his  beloved 
parents,  accepted  the  call  offered  to  him,  and 
now,  together  with  the  before  mentioned 
Schulze,  is  about  to  enter  upon  the  voyage  to 
Pennsylvania.  But  that  they  may  be  prepared 
for  all  official  duties  as  soon  as  they  arrive  in 
Pennsylvania,  conformably  to  order,  they  will 
•first  be  ordained. 

§  II.  Both  candidates  studied  in  the  univer- 
sity of  this  place,  Mr.  Schulze,  however,  be- 
fore already  for  five  years  at  Konigsberg  in 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  225 

Prussia,  where  he  was  born,  and  educated  in 
the  celebrated  Collegio  Friedericiano,  and  in 
the  institutions  of  the  orphans'  house,  were  still 
further  prepared  for  the  service  of  the  Lord. 
As  a  superintendence  of  the  orphans  had  been 
entrusted  to  both  here,  so  they  already  with 
such  opportunity  became  more  intimately  ac- 
quainted with  each  other,  which  in  the  future 
also  will  contribute  not  a  little  to  their  more 
intimate  union  in  the  Lord. 

§  12.  Now,  as  from  the  above  mentioned 
circumstances  it  appears,  that  first  of  all  one 
of  these  new  fellow-laborers  must  be  accepted 
as  the  adjunct  of  pastor  Brunnholtz — that  pas- 
tor Handschuch  also  needs  a  co-laborer  in  his 
congregations,  and  as  will  be  stated  below, 
among  other  things,  three  new  congregations 
wish  for  a  preacher,  and  others  desire  that  they 
may  at  least  be  visited  sometimes  ;  it  is  easily 
foreseen,  that  these  two  are  insufficient  to  meet 
every  want.  Now,  as  no  more  can  be  sent,  it 
was  rather  left  to  the  judgment  of  all  the 
preachers,  as  to  what  arrangements  and  regu- 
lations they  should  make  for  the  necessary  re- 
lief of  the  preachers,  as  well  as  also  that  the 
new  congregations  may  be  served  as  much 
P 


226  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

as  possible,  by  the  frequent  visits  of  their  co- 
laborers,  until  it  may  please  the  Lord  to  send 
more  faithful  laborers  into  this  harvest. 

§  13.  The  name  of  the  Lord  be  praised,  who 
indeed  not  under  manifold  trials  only,  but  also 
certainly  just  as  little,  without  many  indica- 
tions of  his  special  government  and  providence, 
made  these  two  candidates  willing,  first  to  give 
themselves  to  the  Lord,  and  then  to  his  ser- 
vants, and  according  to  their  desire,  permitted 
themselves  to  be  sent  where  they  can  be  em- 
ployed for  the  spreading  abroad  of  the  king- 
dom of  Christ.  This  also  perhaps  deserves 
especially  to  be  noticed,  as  a  proof  of  the 
strange  divine  guidance,  that  when  we  sought 
for  the  second  candidate  during  half  a  year, 
and  may  perhaps  also  have  thought  of  Mr. 
Heintzelmann  several  times,  we  did  not  sup- 
pose that  he  would  so  readily  resolve  to  accept 
of  this  call,  or  obtain  the  consent  of  his  beloved 
parents.  In  the  meantime,  nevertheless,  the 
Lord  in  secret  so  prepared  his  heart  for  it,  that 
he  indeed  did  not  feel  a  particular  inclination 
to  go  there  if  the  call  should  come  to  him,  but 
latterly  especially,  he  rather  perceived  more 
disinclination,   but    was    more    frequently    re- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  227 

minded  of  it,  that  the  call  might  reach  him, 
which  served  to  awaken  him  to  call  heartily 
upon  God,  that  he  would  permit  nothing  to  be 
done  against  his  will;  and  thus,  because  the 
matter  had  already  in  his  heart  frequently 
passed  through  contest  and  prayer,  after  the 
call  was  actually  given  to  him,  and  fell  upon 
his  heart  as  a  very  weighty  matter,  his  resolu- 
tion was  perceptibly  facilitated.  From  this  we 
may  learn  that  the  Lord  also  there,  where  it 
pleases  his  wisdom  to  try  his  servants  and 
children  by  delay  in  hearing  their  prayer,  yet 
already  in  secret,  as  it  were,  makes  preparation 
to  fulfill  the  desire  of  their  hearts. 

§  14.  As  for  the  rest,  it  is  certainly  to  be  re- 
garded as  a  favor  from  God,  and  especially 
should  it  be  acknowledged  with  due  thankful- 
ness by  the  congregations  in  Pennsylvania,  that 
at  this  time  yet,  also,  when  worldly-minded 
people  perhaps  esteem  nothing  as  more  con- 
temptible than  to  be  so  much  concerned  about 
the  glory  of  God,  as  for  its  sake  to  leave  one's 
native  land,  and  undertake  a  voyage  so  distant, 
whilst  so  many  hundreds  of  people,  either  from 
mere  curiosity,  or  from  an  insatiable  hunger 
after  riches  (the  most  miserable   human   pas- 


228        REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

sion),  daily  do  the  same  thing.  It  is  a  divine 
favor,  and  should  be  an  occasion  of  thankful- 
ness, that  God  still  prepares  instruments,  who, 
not  from  a  want  of  interest  in  their  native  land 
and  its  advancement,  but  from  a  true  obedience 
towards  the  will  of  God,  and  a  hearty  desire  to 
assist  in  the  promotion  of  his  kingdom,  deny 
their  native  land,  and  accept  of  the  fatigue  of 
the  voyage  and  all  the  remaining  circumstances. 
These,  however,  also  lose  nothing  in  fact,  but 
have  not  only  their  bodily  support,  except 
which,  at  all  events,  man  can  have  nothing  of 
all  the  riches  of  this  world,  and  which  they  can 
also  just  as  well  obtain  from  the  faithful  pater- 
nal hand  of  God,  in  another  part  of  the  world, 
and  prepare  for  themselves  a  blessing  for  eter- 
nity, if  in  true  faithfulness  they  seek  to  pro- 
mote the  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation  of 
mankind,  until  their  happy  end. 

§  15.  We  hereby  awaken  ourselves  to  call 
upon  the  Lord  heartily,  that  he  may  also  not 
only  protect  these  messengers  of  the  gospel, 
prepared  and  sent  out  by  him,  from  all  danger 
on  their  voyage,  but  also  equip  them  with  the 
necessary  gifts  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  that  they  may 
come  to  the  congregations  in  the  full  blessing 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  229 

of  the  gospel,  for  whose  sake  they  renounced 
all  the  advantages  of  their  native  land,  and  that 
through  their  service  in  the  Word  of  God 
many  may  be  awakened  from  the  sleep  of  se- 
curity. Generally,  however,  we  should  call 
upon  the  Lord  that  the  blessing  of  the  Word 
of  God  may  the  more  richly  manifest  itself  in 
these  congregations,  as  they  before  for  so  long 
a  time  were  destitute  of  faithful  teachers,  and 
such  had  hitherto  always  to  be  sent  to  them, 
not  without  many  difficulties.  Besides,  it  now 
pleased  the  faithfulness  of  God  graciously  to 
impart  that  which  was  needed  for  the  voyage 
of  the  new  fellow  laborers,  by  benevolent 
hands.  Thus  may  he  continue  to  grant  that 
which  is  requisite,  as  well  for  the  payment  of 
the  remaining  church  debts  in  Philadelphia, 
which  makes  it  very  difficult  for  the  congrega- 
tion there  to  provide  for  the  necessary  support 
of  their  teachers,  and  also  present  that  which 
is  needed  for  the  other  wants  of  all  the  congre- 
gations in  Pennsylvania,  and  for  the  promotion 
of  good  institutions,  and  to  this  end  further 
raise  up  kind  benefactors  for  the  glorification 
of  his  honor. 

§  16.  As  mention  was  already  made  of  the 


23O       REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

arrival  of  several  more  recent  letters  from 
Pennsylvania,  it  remains  to  communicate  some 
intelligence  from  these  in  this  section,  concern- 
ing the  principal  circumstances  in  relation  to 
the  preachers  and  the  congregations.  Gener- 
ally so  much  is  manifest  from  them,  that  all 
the  preachers,  Messrs  Muhlenberg,  Brunnholtz 
and  Handschuch,  together  with  the  two  asso- 
ciates in  office,  Messrs.  Kurtz  and  Schaum,  are 
most  cordially  united  in  fraternal  love,  so  that 
when  they  meet  together  they  are  refreshed  by 
each  other,  and  with  affectionate  love  the  one 
assists  the  other  upon  every  opportunity, 
whereby  their  burdens  and  their  cares  are 
much  alleviated. 

§  17.  It  is  therein  reported,  that  on  the  1 8th 
of  June,  1750,  a  meeting  of  all  the  preachers  and 
wardens  of  the  united  congregations  was  again 
held,  in  which  the  congregations  in  Goschen- 
hoppen,  Indianfield,  Perkasie,  Macungie  and 
Cohansey,  also  made  application  by  several 
delegates,  and  desired  that  they  might  be  re- 
ceived in  communion  with  the  others,  and  the 
preachers  care  for  them,  that  they  be  provided 
with  regular  clergymen  ;  but  that  those  among 
them  who  are  unable  to  support  one  of  their 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  23 1 

own,  might  occasionally  be  visited  by  the 
preachers  and  their  assistants.  The  assembled 
preachers  and  wardens  also  promised  them,  that 
as  much  as  possible  they  should  be  cared  for. 
The  first  two,  Goschenhoppen  and  Indianfield, 
were  especially  encouraged  hereby,  that  pastor 
Muhlenberg  would  visit  them  as  soon  as  he 
was  able,  and  inquire  to  what  extent  they 
could  be  provided  for.  The  congregation  at 
Perkasie  is  also  to  be  united  with  these,  and 
the  three  constitute  one  parish.  Hope  was 
given  to  the  congregation  at  Macungie,  that  a 
catechist,  Mr.  Schrenck,  who  had  been  ac- 
cepted in  Mr.  Muhlenberg's  out-parishes  at 
Saccum  and  Upper  Millford,  should  visit  them 
now  and  then  .and  preach  for  them,  as  it  was 
as  yet  impossible  to  give  them  a  preacher  con- 
stantly. As  respects  the  congregation  at  Co- 
hansey,  the  fitness  of  their  schoolmaster  was 
first  of  all  to  be  next  investigated.  Besides,  it 
was  proposed  at  this  meeting,  as  necessity  re- 
quired it,  that  for  the  sake  of  good  order,  a 
superintendent  be  annually  chosen  over  all  the 
united  congregations  ;  whereto  pastor  Brunn- 
holtz  was  appointed  for  this  year,  which  also 
he  could  not  refuse,  although  the  wardens  of 


232        REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

his  congregation  remonstrated  against  it,  on 
account  of  his  sickliness  and  his  many  other 
labors. 

§18.  In  relation  especially  to  the  congrega- 
tion in  Philadelphia,  and  the  congregation  be- 
longing thereto  in  Germantown,  besides  what 
has  already  been  said,  it  is  reported,  that  pastor 
Brunnholtz  has  been  very  infirm  since  July, 
1749.  And  as  he  besides  had  several  severe 
attacks,  with  which  he  has  been  visited  in  later 
times  almost  every  year,  he  often  otherwise 
had  to  keep  his  bed  for  several  days,  and  could 
not  always  preach;  which  not  only  grieved 
him  very  much,  as  he  would  gladly  attend  to 
his  office  with  all  possible  faithfulness,  but  also 
gave  rise  to  some  dissatisfaction  with  several 
in  the  congregation.  Besides  his  naturally  not 
very  strong  bodily  constitution,  which  he  also 
often  felt  with  much  inconvenience  in  Ger- 
many, his  excessive  labors  in  his  office  as 
preacher  added  not  a  little  to  his  infirmity. 
May  the  faithful  God,  who  has  set  this  worthy 
man  in  the  congregations  in  Pennsylvania  for 
many  a  blessing,  graciously  restore  to  him  the 
strength  wasted  unweariedly  in  his  service, 
and  yet  long  preserve  him  and  the  rest  of  the 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  233 

preachers,  in  part  feeble  also,  for  the  good  of 
his  church  in  Pennsylvania.  May  he  also  so 
strengthen  them,  that  they  may  still  be  able, 
for  the  glorification  of  his  holy  name,  and  for 
the  promotion  of  the  eternal  salvation  of  the 
members  of  the  congregations  entrusted  to 
them,  to  labor  for  them  with  the  proper  ac- 
tivity. 

§  19.  In  this  sickly  condition  of  pastor 
Brunnholtz,  the  congregations  nevertheless 
manifested  a  desire  to  have  a  regular  sermon 
every  Sunday  at  each  place.  As  it  hitherto 
could  not  be  arranged  otherwise  than  this,  that 
pastor  Brunnholtz  had  service  one  Sunday  in 
Philadelphia,  and  on  the  other  in  Germantown, 
in  the  forenoon  and  afternoon,  Mr.  Schaum  for- 
merly, as  long  as  he  was  in  Philadelphia,  at- 
tended to  the  worship  of  God  at  the  other  place, 
and  after  he  took  charge  of  the  congregation 
in  York,  Mr.  Vigera,  the  school  teacher  at  the 
time  in  Philadelphia,  read  a  sermon  to  them. 
This  induced  him  to  take  on  trial,  for  a  time, 
as  assistant  or  fellow-laborer,  a  certain  theolog- 
ical candidate,  who  had  come  to  Pennsylvania 
sometime  ago,  and  whom  he  kindly  took  into 
his  house,  where  he  had  opportunity  to  estab- 


234  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

lish  himself  still  more  in  the  knowledge  of  the 
divine  truths,  until  other  assistants  should  come 
from  Germany.  After  the  arrival  of  these,  said 
candidate  could  then  either  return  again  to 
Europe,  or  further,  in  one  way  or  another,  find 
his  work  in  Pennsylvania,  where,  according  to 
the  foregoing,  the  harvest  is  great,  but  the 
laborers  only  few. 

§  20.  In  Philadelphia,  the  school  is  regularly 
kept  by  the  before  mentioned  Mr.  Vigera,  in 
the  house  of  pastor  Brunnholtz,  who  also, 
as  already  noticed,  in  case  of  necessity,  at- 
tends to  divine  service  by  reading  an  edifying 
sermon,  and  who  has  done  many  and  useful 
services  for  all  the  preachers,  since  his  resi- 
dence in  Pennsylvania.  In  Germantown  there 
is  likewise  a  regular  school,  in  which  the  diffi- 
culties are  much  greater,  because  the  members 
of  the  congregation  are  much  scattered,  and 
for  the  most  part  live  out  of  town  on  the  plan- 
tations, or  on  their  cultivated  property. 

§  21.  Every  Sunday  afternoon,  at  the  place 
where  pastor  Brunnholtz  conducts  divine  ser- 
vice, public  instruction  is  held,  in  which  Luth- 
er's smaller  catechism  is  reviewed  with  the 
smaller  children ;  but  the  larger  are  led  more 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  235 

into  the  order  of  salvation,  and  the  Bible, 
whereof  a  benefit  also  is  expected  for  the  sold 
domestics,*  of  whom  there  are  a  great  many  in 
Philadelphia,  and  it  is  only  wished  that  such 
poor  people  had  small  Bibles.  During  the 
week  it  is  perhaps  impossible  to  have  such  in- 
struction, because  the  children  from  the  tenth 
year  are  kept  to  work,  and  therefore  cannot 
come  together,  except  on  Sundays  and  festival 
days.  In  both  congregations  a  considerable 
number  of  young  people  were  confirmed  after 
a  sufficient  preparation,  and  for  the  first  time 
admitted  to  the  holy  Supper.  On  Wednesday 
evening,  if  his  strength  permits,  the  pastor 
holds  a  prayer-meeting  in  his  house.  Other- 
wise the  pastor  is  much  humbled  and  grieved, 
on  account  of  the  sloth  and  security  of  the 
greater  mass  of  the  people,  although  there 
is  considerable  harmony  observable  among 
the  members  in  both  places,  and  they  are  also 
diligent  in  attending  the  public  worship  of  God. 
Still  the  blessing  also  is  not  to  be  denied,  which 
the  Lord  bestows  to  the  preaching  of  his  Word, 

*  Germans  and  others  who  were  compelled  to  earn  their 
passage  money  after  they  arrived  in  this  country,  by  working 
for  persons  who  paid  it  for  them  to  the  ship  captains. 


236  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

although  often  for  a  season  the  greater  part  of 
it  remains  hidden  from  the  eyes  of  his  servants. 

§  22.  In  relation  to  the  debt  for  the  building  of 
the  church  in  Philadelphia,  it  is  known  from  the 
previous  article,  that  in  April,  1749,  it  amounted 
to  more  than  2,820  Rix  dollars  according  to 
German  money,  for  which  the  congregation  had 
annually  to  pay  about  170  Rix  dollars  interest. 
However,  as  yet  in  1749,  48  pounds  Pennsyl- 
vania, or  176  Rix  dollars,  were  paid  on  the 
principal.  But  on  the  contrary,  in  1750  it  was 
finally  resolved  actually  to  build  the  gallery, 
for  a  long  time  already  thought  necessary. 
We  must  wait  for  further  information  as  to 
whether  this  was  done  by  this  time,  and 
whether  the  debts  were  not  thereby  again  in- 
creased. In  like  manner  the  pews  of  the 
church  in  Germantown,  together  with  a  sa- 
cristy, were  to  be  built,  and  already  stipulated 
for,  at  56  pounds  Pennsylvania,  or  something 
over  205  Rix  dollars,  which  the  congregation 
would  endeavor  to  raise  among  themselves. 
On  the  contrary,  it  is  probable  that  nothing 
could  have  been  paid  on  their  church  debts  ;  at 
least  there  is  nothing   reported   to  this  effect. 

§  23.  In  relation  to  pastor  Muhlenberg  and 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  237 

his  congregations  in  Providence  and  New 
Hanover,  he  was  on  a  journey  to  Albany  in 
New  York,  in  August,  1750,  when  the  first  of 
the  recent  letters  from  Pennsylvania  left;  con- 
sequently there  were  no  letters  from  him  at 
that  time,  and  in  January,  175  1,  when  the  last 
letter  was  dated,  oft  account  of  the  rough 
weather  and  the  bad  roads,  opportunity  was 
wanting  between  Providence  and  Philadelphia; 
therefore  no  letters  could  have  been  expected 
from  him  at  the  latter  place,  prior  to  the  sail- 
ing of  the  vessels.  No  special  information  can 
therefore  be  communicated  at  this  time,  of  him 
and  his  congregations,  except  the  little  before 
mentioned,  of  a  recently  accepted  catechist  in 
several  out-parishes ;  which  deficiency,  how- 
ever will  be  compensated,  in  the  next  following 
section — the  commencement  of  his  edifying  re- 
port, of  the  most  remarkable  circumstances  of 
his  official  transactions,  from  the  beginning 
among  congregations  in  Pennsylvania. 

§  24.  From  pastor  Handschuch,  in  Lancas- 
ter, on  the  contrary,  more  ample  intelligence 
has  been  received.  But  as  hereafter  a  copious 
extract  from  it  may  be  communicated,  it  suf- 
fices for  the  present,  if  we  only  make  the  state- 


238        REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

ment  generally,  that  since  May,  1748,  in  which 
month,  he  entered  upon  his  office  there,  he  has 
exercised  it  not  without  a  perceptible  blessing. 
To  the  praise  of  the  Lord  it  must  be  acknowl- 
edged also,  that  the  power  of  God  in  the 
preaching  of  his  word  has  abundantly  revealed 
itself  in  the  hearts  of  the  hearers,  so  that  many 
have  been  awakened  to  an  anxious  concern  for 
the  salvation  of  their  souls,  as  well  as  also 
generally,  that  a  noticeable  improvement  has 
taken  place  in  the  external  order  of  the  whole 
congregation. 

§  25.  Of  parson  Kurtz,  in  Tulpehocken,  as 
well  as  of  parson  Schaum,  in  York,  the  other 
preachers  report — that  the  congregations  are  as 
yet  well  satisfied  with  them  and  as  they  grow  in 
experience  and  wisdom,  they  labor  in  them 
with  ever  increasing  blessing.  The  congrega- 
tion of  the  latter  is  multiplying,  since  the  town 
of  York  has  became  a  county-town.  A 
congregation  at  Conewago,  20  English  miles 
from  York,  also  united  with  it,  and  is  visited 
every  four  weeks  by  Mr.  Schaum,  and  edified  by 
a  sermon.  On  the  contrary,  there  is  a  disorderly 
old  German  preacher,  who  otherwise  occasions 
him    much    disquiet   and    disturbance    in  this 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  239 

neighborhood,  as  he  knowingly  acted  contrary 
to  the  laws  of  the  country,  was  arrested,  and 
lost  his  plantation  or  estate. 

§  26.  Some  years  ago  already,  a  candidate 
of  theology,  born  in  Hanau,  Mr.  John  Albert 
Weygand,  and  who  had  studied  at  the  uni- 
versity at  Halle,  was  taken  along  with  a  com- 
pany of  colonists  as  their  preacher,  who  left 
the  Palatinate  for  Pennsylvania,  and  came  with 
them  to  Philadelphia.  But  as  it  is  the  custom 
of  the  so-called  Newlanders,  to  promise  the 
people  whom  they  persuade  to  go  to  Pennsyl- 
vania many  more  advantages  than  they  can 
obtain  when  they  arrive  in  America,  they,  for 
the  most  part,  find  themselves  placed  in  sor- 
rowful circumstances.  Thus,  also,  it  is  wont, 
to  be  no  better  with  the  preachers  than  with 
the  rest,  whom  the  Newlanders  are  glad  to 
take  along  with  them  for  this  reason,  viz.,  that 
they  may  procure  the  more  colonists.  For  as 
the  most  of  such  colonists  are  unable  to  pay 
for  their  passage,  they  must  be  satisfied  to  be 
sold  as  servants  or  domestics,  and  consequently 
be  scattered  here  and  there  on  the  plantations, 
and  of  course  such  preachers  be  left  without  a 
congregation.     This,  then  was  the  situation  in 


24O  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

which  Mr.  Weygand  saw  himself  placed,  after 
his  arrival  in  Pennsylvania.  As  he  had  ac- 
cepted the  call  given  him  by  these  people  with 
a  good  intention  and  purpose,  the  preachers 
also  received  him  the  rather  in  cordial  love  re- 
tained him  for  some  time,  and  employed  him 
in  their  office  for  their  relief,  when  he  mani- 
fested all  faithfulness  in  the  instruction  of  the 
youth  and  in  preaching. 

§  27.  Now,  when  instead  of  the  two  ex- 
pected new  preachers,  only  one  arrived,  and 
besides  the  congregations  to  which  Messrs. 
Kurtz  and  Schaum  were  assigned,  there  was 
yet  another  congregation,  in  the  province  of 
West  New  Jersey,  at  Readingstown  (or,  as  it  is 
commonly  called,  Raritan),  which  applied  to  the 
ministeriumofthe  united  congregations  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  requested  that  they  might  assist 
them  to  a  regular  preacher.  Thus  the  before 
mentioned  Mr.  Weygand  was  sent  to  that  place, 
in  the  autumn  of  1748,  as  was  done  before  at 
different  times  by  Messrs.  Kurtz  and  Schaum,  to 
serve  them  by  preaching  and  the  instruction  of 
the  youth,  until  it  should  appear,  whether  a 
God-pleasing  order  could  be  introduced  among 
them,  and  a  preacher  of  their  own  given  them. 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  24 1 

§  28.  Now,  when  Mr.  Weygand  had  re- 
mained two  years  in  the  congregation,  and  la- 
bored with  much  profit  and  blessing  with  both 
old  and  young,  they  desired  to  have  him  for 
their  regular  preacher.  All  the  preachers, 
therefore,  of  the  united  ministerium  of  Penn- 
sylvania, assembled  themselves  at  their  request, 
on  the  first  Sunday  of  Advent,  1 750,  in  the 
new  stone  church,  built  by  the  congregation, 
consecrated  it  by  the  word  of  God  and  prayer, 
for  the  use  of  the  worship  of  God ;  and  at  the 
same  time,  after  previous  examination  and  a 
receiprocal  religious  obligation,  the  said  Mr. 
Weygand  was  ordained,  as  regular  teacher  and 
preacher  of  this  congregation,  consisting  of 
several  different  congregations. 

§  29.  Thus  much  we  had  to  communicate 
for  this  time,  of  the  united  German  conoreofa- 
tions  in  Pennsylvania,  to  which  there  is  a  little 
more  to  be  added,  viz.,  that  during  the  past 
year  three  preachers  were  also  sent  to  Penn- 
sylvania, from  Sweden,  for  the  Swedish  con- 
gregations, Messrs.  Acrelius,  Unander  and  Per- 
lin,  of  whom  the  first  is  provost  in  the  place 
of  the  deceased  Mr.  Sandin.  These  have  from 
the  beginning  manifested  much  friendship  for 
21  Q 


242  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

the  German  preachers,  and  seek  to  unite  them- 
selves with  them,  for  the  same  object,  as  they 
also  were  advised  in  their  instructions  from  the 
Archbishop  himself  in  Sweden ;  which  also 
will  still  contribute  not  a  little  to  the  promo- 
tion of  the  general  edification,  as  experience 
has  already  taught,  that  the  confidence  which 
obtained  from  the  beginning,  between  the  Ger- 
man and  the  Swedish  preachers,  has  resulted 
in  much  advantage  to  the  congregations  of 
both.  Otherwise  we  have  understood  con- 
cerning Mr.  Nyberg,  the  former  preacher  in 
Lancaster,  sent  from  Sweden,  who  went  over  to 
the  Herrnhuter  sect,  that  he  was  willing  to  go  to 
Europe,  probably  to  the  Count  von  Zinzendorf. 
§  30.  We  might  herewith  fully  close  this  first 
section,  if  we  had  not  yet  to  add  the  present 
appendix,  and  in  it,  (more  on  account  of  the 
promptings  of  some  good  friends,  than  the  im- 
portance to  us  of  the  matter  itself,)  make  a 
little  reminiscence  in  several  interspersed  erro- 
neous representations  by  Count  von  Zinzendorf, 
in  a  book  iiepi  EATTOT,  or  Natural  Reflections, 
concerning  the  congregations  in  Pennsylvania, 
as  much  as  relates  to  the  preachers  sent  out 
from  Halle. 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  243 

§  31.  In  the  first  place,  we  cannot  sufficiently 
wonder  that  the  Count,  in  the  ninth  article  of 
said  book,  page  143,  Num.  63,  also  reckons 
among  his  applied  officia,  or  efforts  for  a  solid, 
or  fundamental  investigation,  a  "  Remonstrance 
to  the  inspector  of  the  bookstore  at  Halle,  con- 
cerning the  printed  calumnies  of  Muhlenberg," 
with  this  addition,  "  Not  answered."  When  in 
the  letter  received  from  Marienborn,  dated  May 
29th,  1745,  under  the  name  of  a  certain  John 
Jacob  Muller,  which  without  doubt  is  the  so- 
called  Remonstrance,  no  other  explanation  is 
to  be  found  than  this  :  "  That  if  we  in  Halle 
are  interested  in  historical  truth,  and  were  will- 
ing to  compromise  on  the  decision  of  the  esti- 
mable society  de  propaganda  cognitione  Cliristi, 
in  London,  the  Count  incontinentia  (i.  e.,  upon 
the  spot,)  would  show,  that  the  report  found 
there  concerning  him  and  the  Moravian  breth- 
ren, is  false  in  all  its  circumstances. 

§  32.  We  briefly  remark  here,  that  first  of 
all,  so  much  less  doubt  could  remain  of  the 
historical  truth  of  that  which  was  cited  in  the 
first  article  of  this  report,  both  in  the  author 
and  the  inspector  of  the  bookstore  in  which  it 
was  published,  as   its   accuracy,  besides   other 


244       REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

credible  proofs,  rests  upon  the  investigation 
and  the  verdict  of  the  regular  city  government 
in  Philadelphia.  Besides  it  is  known,  that  the 
very  estimable  society  de  propaganda  cognitione 
C/iristi,  in  London,  stands  in  no  connection 
whatever  with  the  congregations  in  Pennsyl- 
vania; consequently  it  is  by  no  means  the  forum 
in  which  the  correctness  or  incorrectness  of 
the  historical  truth  of  that  which  relates  to  the 
Count  von  Zinzendorf,  in  our  report  of  the  con- 
gregations in  Pennsylvania,  could  have  been 
announced,  investigated  and  decided.  Now  as 
all  this  cannot  be  unknown  to  the  Count  him- 
self, no  one  can  find  fault  with  us,  that  said 
letter  remained  unanswered.  But  if  the  Count 
had  been  able  to  show  the  least  untruth,  he 
would  have  done  it,  without  waiting  for  our 
compromise,  and  can  do  it  yet,  where  and  as 
he  will,  if  *it  is  only  done  fundamentally  and  in 
a  suitable  manner. 

§  33.  The  other  place  in  which  many  erro- 
neous representations  concerning  these  con- 
gregations occur,  is  in  the  tenth  article  of  the 
book  indicated,  from  page  206  to  215.  We 
cannot  enter  into  the  details,  nor  at  all  delay 
ourselves   with  several  inaccuracies,  in  acces- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  245 

sary  circumstances,  but  only  touch  upon  such 
as  are  of  importance. 

§  34.  It  is  needless  to  inquire  whether  the 
Count  von  Zinzendorf  received  any  call,  sent 
to  Germany  from  his  adherents  among  the 
German  Lutherans,  to  come  to  Pennsylvania 
to  be  their  parson  and  inspector,  admitting  it 
has  no  semblance  of  probability,  as  he  himself 
alleges,  that  he  had  not  the  least  correspon- 
dence with  Pennsylvania,  prior  to  his  arrival 
there.  This,  however,  is  hard  to  reconcile  here- 
with, that  he  himself  shortly  before  alleged, 
how  the  residence  a  year  ago  of  the  beloved 
Bishop  Nitschmann,  the  Reverened  father  of 
the  dear  Anna  (as  he  is  pleased  to  call  her,) 
and  of  Lady  Molther,  of  Seydewitz,  had  con- 
tributed most  to  the  attainment  of  his  object 
before  his  arrival,  and  without  whom,  his  going 
there  would  have  been  of  no  effect  at  all.  This 
much  is  certain,  that  neither  all  the  Lutherans, 
nor  yet  the  greater  part  of  them,  fully  united 
themselves  with  his  party  after  his  arrival,  but 
only  some  individual  Lutherans  whom  he  act- 
ually drew  over  to  his  side,  among  whom  was 
one  warden,  who  put  the  Lutheran  church 
book  into  his  hands,  which,  however,  the  city 


246  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

authorities  enjoined  him  to  return  again.  A 
manifest  proof  this,  that  he  had  nothing  at 
all,  by  which  he  could  in  any  measure  make 
his  call  as  a  Lutheran  preacher  to  Philadel- 
phia probable,  of  which,  nevertheless,  he  would 
make  so  much  show. 

§  35.  On  the  contrary,  about  the  year  1733, 
the  whole  Lutheran  congregation  in  Philadel- 
phia, already  applied  to  the  court  preacher 
Ziegenhagen,  in  London,  and  to  Dr.  Franke, 
in  Halle,  and  imploringly  entreated  for  capable 
teachers  and  preachers,  and  as  it  could  not  im- 
mediately be  complied  with,  they  several  times 
repeated  their  request,  until  pastor  Muhlen- 
berg was  sent  by  them,  and  towards  the  close 
of  the  year  1742,  arrived  in  Philadelphia.  Con- 
sequently, as  long  as  their  petition  was  con- 
tinued for  a  preacher  from  Halle,  they  could 
not  for  the  time,  without  dishonesty,  have  to 
do  with  a  stranger,  who  came  even  without  a 
call.  And  since  some  individual  members  did 
this,  it  is  rather  to  be  ascribed  to  the  persua- 
sion of  the  Count,  and  his  previously  sent  ad- 
herents, and  they  may  be  excused  on  account 
of  the  doubt  arising  whether  the  preacher 
whom  they  desired   would  yet  come,  than  re- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  247 

garded  as  a  proof  in  favor  of  the  Count,  that 
he  was  the  ordinarius  loci — the  regular  teacher 
of  the  place,  who  had  accepted  of  this  office 
upon  a  tearful  call,  after  a  strict  examination 
of  the  unanimity  of  those  making  the  request, 
whereof  directly  the  opposite  appears  from  the 
above,  and  was  confirmed  by  the  judicial  ver- 
dict of  the  city  government.  For  if  the  Count 
could  only  have  shown  that  the  greater  part 
of  the  Lutherans  in  Philadelphia  had  accepted 
of  him  as  their  preacher,  they  could  not  have 
ordered  him  to  restore  the  church  book. 

§  36.  Now,  as  the  Count  von  Zinzendorf 
cannot  even  show  his  regular  call,  as  preacher 
of  the  Lutheran  congregation  in  Philadelphia, 
and  inspector  in  Pennsylvania,  it  is  incompre- 
hensible how  he  and  his  adherents  can  boast 
themselves  of  a  Juris  prioritatis,  or  a  right  of 
priority  which,  if  it  depended  on  this,  must  in- 
contestably  be  on  the  side  of  the  preacher 
from  Halle,  who  was  longed  for,  expected,  and 
still  anew  desired  many  years  before.  Much 
less  can  the  Count  represent  the  Lutherans  in 
Pennsylvania  (under  him  as  their  pretended 
pastor  and  inspector,  and  prior  to  the  arrival  of 
pastor   Muhlenberg),  as  a  quiet,  orderly,  and 


248        REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

fully  awakened  society,  in  harmony  with  all 
their  associates,  in  love  and  peace,  and  describe 
pastor  Muhlenberg  as  a  stranger,  who  had 
come  into  such  a  quiet  body  unannounced, 
sought  for  himself  adherents  everywhere,  who 
ran  to  him  from  their  regular  teachers  (the 
Count  and  his  followers).  And  how  can  the 
Count  accuse  those,  who  sent  him,  after  such 
manifold  entreaties,  that  they  sent  persons  to 
disturb  the  legitimate  teachers  (which  the 
Count  pretends  himself  and  followers  to  be), 
and  who  thereby  created  a  schisma,  or  divi- 
sion ?  And  where  did  Mr.  Muhlenberg  seek 
an  office  with  the  people  subordinated  or  sub- 
jected to  his  pretended  consistory  ?  He 
never  sought  for  this,  and  the  greater  part  of 
the  wardens  and  members  of  the  congregation 
at  whose  desire  he  was  sent,  immediately  ac- 
cepted of  him  as  their  lawful  and  regularly 
called  preacher.  Except  some  few,  they  did 
not  consider  the  Count  their  preacher,  nor  rec- 
ognize his  consistory. 

§  37.  But  as  the  three  congregations  in 
Philadelphia,  New  Hanover  and  Providence, 
applied  for  a  preacher  from  Halle  at  the  same 
time,  so  all  the  three  also  accepted  of  him,  and 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  249 

as  appears  from  the  first  article  of  this  report, 
he  at  first  exercised  his  office  in  the  three 
places,  by  many  fatiguing  journeys. 

§  38.  But  how  the  above  description  of  his 
quiet  denomination  agreeing  with  all  their  as- 
sociates in  love  and  peace,  is  it  to  be  reconciled 
with  the  event  which  transpired  with  Mr.  Pyr- 
laus  (who  is  not  a  Lutheran  but  a  Zinzendor- 
fer  preacher,  which  certainly  was  not  without 
violence  and  many  a  collision,  in  June  1742, 
consequently  not  half  a  year  before  pastor 
Muhlenberg's  arrival),  is  left  to  the  judgment 
of  every  impartial  reader.  It  consisted  in 
this,  that  the  Reformed  who  used  a  rented 
meeting-house  in  common  with  the  Lutherans, 
tore  the  said  Pyrlaus  down  from  the  pulpit,  and 
dragged  him  out  of  the  church,  not  because 
he  preached  too  legally,  but  because  he,  with- 
out key,  otherwise  forcibly  entered  this  meet- 
ing-house, and  would  preach  in  it  against  the 
will  of  the  lawful  proprietors. 

§  39.  In  the  meanwhile,  when  the  Count 
would  assert  to  have  had  the  peacable  posses- 
sion by  such  an  alleged  quiet  organization, 
which  he  pretended  to,  as  regular  Lutheran 
preacher  in  the  congregation  in  Philadelphia, 


250  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

the  occurrence  mentioned  is  a  proof,  that  the 
proprietors  of  the  union  meeting-house  did  not 
recognize  him  as  such,  as  they  refused  the  key- 
thereto,  to  his  preacher  Pyrlaus,  and  opposed 
his  violent  intrusion  with  violence;  and  the 
party  of  the  Count,  or  of  Mr.  Pyrlaus,  were 
also  refused  by  the  authorities,  and  their  right 
to  the  meeting-house  denied.  Hence  the  alle- 
gation that  the  Reformed  most  humbly  asked 
his  pardon  is  a  mere  fiction.  Otherwise  it  would 
be  altogether  incomprehensible,  wherefore,  al- 
though they  had  most  humbly  apologized,  they 
should  yet  have  been  accused  by  the  Count's 
party  as  disturbers  of  the  peace  before  the 
authorities,  who  would  not  have  investigated 
the  matter  of  their  own  accord. 

§  40.  Now,  although  in  these  acts  of  violence 
which  transpired,  not  without  offence,  the  Lu- 
therans took  as  little  part  as  possible,  still  in 
their  place  they  did  not  give  up  their  rights, 
but  sufficiently  asserted  them  before  the  city 
authorities,  by  the  injunction  repeatedly  ob- 
tained, that  the  Count  should  restore  their 
church-book.  As  meanwhile,  the  Count  him- 
self attributes  these  acts  of  violence  to  the 
Reformed,  it   is   inconceivable   how    he    could 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  25  I 

call  Mr.  Muhlenberg's  Lutherans,  the  faction 
that  tore  Mr.  .Pyrlaus  from  the  pulpit,  and 
therefore  denominated  Mr.  Muhlenberg  the 
chief,  the  head,  and  the  leader  of  this  faction. 

§  41.  But  for  the  rest  the  Count  had  also  to 
give  Mr.  Muhlenberg  this  testimony  ;  that  his 
conduct  for  himself  was  none  of  the  worst,  and 
that  he  used  more  moderation  and  discretion 
than  was  expected  of  him,  when  he,  in  a  con- 
versation with  the  Count,  in  the  presence  of 
his  adherents,  was  forced  to  upraid  the  Count 
with  his  falsehoods,  frauds,  misleadings  of  the 
people,  intrusion,  and  such  like.  This  is  an 
acknowledgment  whereby  his  Christian  and 
temperate  presence  of  mind,  had  to  be  admit- 
ted by  the  opponents  themselves. 

§  42.  But  he  was  instructed  neither  from 
Halle  nor  from  London,  to  set  forth  such  ac- 
cusations and  characterizings  of  the  Count,  but 
he  was  forced  by  circumstances  to  censure  the 
conscience  of  the  Count,  and  to  make  his  con- 
fession. And  as  he  did  this  in  a  manner  so 
uncommonly  simple  and  moderate,  that  the 
Count  even  wondered,  and  believed  that  his 
object  seemed  to  require  more,  it  is  manifest 
to  every  one  that  he  did  not  act  in  this  matter 


252  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

from  affectation,  and  that  his  object  had  not 
been  to  characterize  and  to  accuse  the  Count, 
but  only  to  confess  the  truth.  That  which 
he  had  to  say  to  the  Count  in  this  com- 
pany, of  his  habit  and  readiness  in  such  con^ 
duct,  he  had  no  need  to  hear  from  those  who 
sent  him,  as  they  had  him  with  them  for  a 
short  time  only,  and  so  speak  as  it  were  out  of 
their  mouths,  although  they  were  not  without 
many  examples  of  all  the  points  here  cited. 
He  knew  to  speak  of  this  matter  from  his  own 
experience,  as  he  was  in  the  preacher's  office 
for  a  considerable  time,  so  very  near  Herrn- 
hut,  at  Grosshennersdorf,  and  had  opportunity 
of  a  near  view  of  all  that  transpired  in  the  in- 
stitutions established  by  the  Count 

§  43.  What  besides  Mr.  Muhlenberg  was  re- 
proached with,  in  the  exercise  of  his  office,  is, 
that  he  administered  the  Lord's  Supper  to 
those  people,  to  whom  they  (i.  c,  the  Count's 
party)  ought  to  have  administered  it,  but  which 
they  could  not  do,  and  thereby  directly  freed 
them  from  the  people,  who  would  have  plagued 
them  to  death.  By  this  it  is  intended  to  accuse 
him,  that  he  did  not  use  due  earnestness  in 
preventing  the  unworthy  from  coming  to  the 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  253 

holy  Supper.  Of  this  the  opposite  is  manifest 
from  the  reports  of  his  official  transactions,  and 
it  is  clearly  seen  what  pains  he  as  well  as  his 
colleagues  took,  to  obtain  information  concern- 
ing the  life  and  conduct  of  those  who  were 
not  as  yet  sufficiently  known  to  them,  to  in- 
struct the  ignorant,  and  especially  to  have  them 
understand  what  constitutes  true  worthiness 
for  the  holy  Supper, — to  keep  back  the  profli- 
gate and  open  sinners,  until  their  amendment, 
and  to  labor  with  them  for  their  conviction  and 
conversion,  and  also  to  take  care  that  the  pub- 
licly given  offence  was  settled  by  the  congre- 
gation in  an  edifying  manner,  before  their  ad- 
mission. 

§  44.  What  is  elsewhere  alleged,  that  the 
wardens  of  Philadelphia  had  said,  their  in- 
spector (meaning  the  Count),  had  built  the 
church  for  them  gratuitously,  and  therefore 
they  did  not  need  any  further  collection  thereto, 
needs  no  refutation.  That  the  Count  built  a 
church  gratuitously,  i.  e.t  out  of  the  Saviour's 
treasury,  for  his  adherents,  and  not  for  the  Lu- 
therans, these  owe  him  no  thanks.  But  that 
the  said  wardens  should  have  said,  they  be- 
lieved that  Mr.  Muhlenberg  was  sent,  not  so 
22 


254  REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

much  from  love  to  them,  as  from  jealousy  of  the 
Count  and  his  adherents,  they  effectively  refuted 
by  their  joyful  acceptance,  and  by  their  repeated 
written  and  oral  attestation  of  their  thankfulness 
for  the  favor  thereby  shown  them. 

§  45.  Whatever  else  is  interspersed  concern- 
ing the  Swedes  must  have  reference  to  that 
which  transpired  with  Mr.  Nyberg,  some  years 
afterwards,  and  is  circumstantially  related  in 
the  third  continuation.  From  a  close  compar- 
ison of  this  narration,  conformable  to  the  truth, 
and  demonstrable  in  all  points,  the  errors  will 
be  easily  detected  in  that  which  the  count  has 
produced.  We  hereby  only  note  the  following: 
1.  That  the  congregation  which  Mr.  Nyberg 
formerly  had,  was  not  Swedish  but  German, 
of  whom  only  some  few  remained  with  him, 
after  he  went  over  to  the  side  of  the  Count. 
From  the  time  that  he  publicly  acknowledged 
himself  of  the  Count's  party,  the  most  of  them 
would  not  even  recognize  him  any  more,  as 
their  preacher,  consequently  it  was  not  at  all 
necessary,  that  pastor  Muhlenberg  should  have 
written  to  Synod,  to  compel  them  to  a  with- 
drawal from  the  communion  of  the  Count  and 
his  party,  who  also  could  not  call    themselves 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  255 

Mr.  Muhlenberg's  predecessors.  2.  Generally, 
whatever  is  falsely  said  of  those  Swedish 
preachers  who  were  ordained  in  Stockholm, 
that  they  alleged  that  they  were  instructed  by 
the  Archbishop,  that  the  Zinzendorfer  breth- 
ren are  pure  in  faith,  but  on  the  contrary,  that 
the  preachers  who  have  since  then  come  from 
Germany,  and  their  constituents,  or  those  who 
sent  them,  were  erroneous  in  doctrine,  was 
only  Mr.  Nyberg's  allegation,  which  the  rest  of 
the  Swedish  preachers  in  Pennsylvania,  as  well 
as  the  theologians  in  Sweden,  contradicted  in 
writing  and  in  deed.  3.  That  the  latter  had 
no  information  of  all  this,  and  therefore  were 
necessitated  to  have  pasquils  come  from  Ger- 
many, for  the  purpose  of  putting  a  doubt  on 
the  question  asked,  not  by  Mr.  Muhlenberg, 
but  by  the  Swedish  wardens,  and  indeed,  upon 
the  provocation  of  Mr.  Nyberg,  is  a  defama- 
tion of  these  very  worthy  men,  which  is  with- 
out a  probability,  even,  as  it  is  against  the 
respect  due  to  them  to  call  their  testimony  a 
pitiable  testimonial,  and  allege  that  it  is  full  of 
evident  falsehoods.  4.  Whether  this  testimo- 
nial was  subscribed  to  by  Mr.  Muhlenberg, 
and  how  expressed,  we  are  not  particularly  in- 


256  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

formed.  5.  In  the  testimonial  mentioned  sev- 
eral times,  there  is  nothing  said  of  Evangelical 
Lutheran  preachers,  but  of  Mr.  Nyberg,  who 
was  manifestly  an  adherent  of  the  Count  von 
Zinzendorf,  but  whether  he  belonged  to  the 
Moravian  or  Lutheran  company  of  the  brother- 
hood, and  whether  the  Lord's  Supper  is  not 
even  given  by  him  to  a  Moravian  brother,  is 
not  the  question  here. 

§  46.  Finally,  we  cannot  pass  unnoticed  the 
fact,  that  it  is  a  very  grave  accusation  of  the 
blessed  theologians  of  Halle,  when  the  adher- 
ents of  the  Count  call  themselves  their  genuine 
and  legitimate  followers,  for  which  they  would 
.never  acknowledge  them,  as  they  with  such 
great  earnestness  insisted  upon  a  true  and  ear- 
nest repentance,  but  these  (the  adherents  of  the 
Count)  only  scoffed  at  this  order  of  God,  not 
to  mention  other  evidently  great  deviations. 

§  47.  Everything  that  is  contained  in  the 
answer  of  the  so-called  Lutheran  consistory, 
in  Philadelphia  (the  Count  understands  by 
this,  his  adherents),  wherewith  he  concludes 
his  Pennsylvania,  falls  away  for  the  reasons 
above  cited.  Therefore  we  shall  no  longer 
detain  ourselves  therewith,  as  besides  this  re- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  257 

miniscence  became  somewhat  diffuse,  contrary 
to  our  intention  and  expectation. 

§  48.  Whoever  compares  the  whole  connec- 
tion of  that  which  transpired  with  the  Count 
von  Zinzendorf,  in  Pennsylvania,  with  the  lit- 
tle that  is  here  cited,  in  relation  to  the  Ger- 
man Lutherans,  cannot  avoid  regarding  these 
congregations,  according  to  all  circumstances, 
right  worthy  of  pity,  with  still  greater  com- 
passion, because  they  were  brought  into  still 
greater  trouble  by  him  and  his  adherents. 
For  so  many  years  the  poor  people  were  with- 
out regular  instruction  in  the  word  of  God,  the 
children  grew  up  without  information  concern- 
ing God  and  divine  thiags,  yea,  in  part  without 
baptism,  and  wolves  and  hirelings  also  were 
not  wanting  in  this  spiritual  wilderness.  On 
the  one  hand  the  scattered  sheep  were  over- 
come by  diverse  sects,  or  at  least  driven  around, 
and  on  the  other,  preachers  and  schoolmasters, 
who  were  degraded  in  Germany,  or  other 
persons  who  were  of  not  much  account  at 
home,  when  they  came  to  Pennsylvania,  set 
themselves  up  for  preachers,  and  occasioned 
much  injury  among  them.  It  is  easily  imag- 
ined that  such  persons  were  very  little  con- 
22*  R 


258  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

cerned  about  showing  the  hearers  the  right 
way  and  instructing  them,  and  that  their  dis- 
orderly conduct  must  only  have  conduced  to 
scandals.  At  last  the  Count  von  Zinzendorf 
yet  came  thereto,  who,  where  the  confusion 
and  disorder  was  still  not  sufficiently  great, 
entirely  confused  and  disordered  everything. 

§  49.  Is  it  not,  therefore,  an  adorable  mercy 
and  grace  of  God,  that  he  again  so  paternally 
cared  for  these  poor  congregations,  and 
granted  them  such  faithful  teachers,  who  with 
great  denial,  without  greed  of  reward,  and  with 
indescribable  trouble  and  labor,  gathered  the 
scattered  flock  again,  led  them  into  the  clean 
pasture  of  the  word  of  God,  instructed  their 
children  and  had  them  instructed,  and  by  word 
and  conduct  sought  and  still  seek  to  win  and 
save  their  souls,  and  upon  whose  work  the 
Lord  has  also  already  placed  many  a  true 
blessing,  which  in  eternity  they  will  find  again? 
Yea,  it  is  plainly  perceived  from  all  this,  that 
the  Lord  as  yet  has  thoughts  of  peace  towards 
these  congregations,  and  would  establish  his 
work  among  them.  Now,  although  this  had 
at  first  to  commence  in  a  small  way,  and  under 
many  trials,  and  is  still  continued  under  many 


CONGREGATIONS   IN   AMERICA.  259 

difficulties;  nevertheless  it  has  already  con- 
siderably advanced,  and  may,  if  the  Lord  will 
further  grant  his  blessing  thereto,  still  gradually 
extend  itself,  ever  more  gloriously. 

§  50.  But  now  is  still  the  time  of  affliction, 
in  which  the  ruined  walls  of  this  Zion  must  be 
built  amid  many  difficulties.  Various  congre- 
gations long  to  have  a  preacher  of  their  own, 
but  are  not  in  a  condition  to  support  him. 
For,  as  there  is  no  church  property  or  old 
charitable  institutions  extant  to  pay  the  preach- 
ers, the  support  for  preachers  and  school- 
masters can  be  raised  in  no  other  way  than 
this,  that  the  members  of  the  congregation 
contribute  this  from  their  own  means,  which, 
however,  is  too  burdensome  for  them,  where 
the  congregations  are  small  and  many  poor 
people  among  them.  Although  most  of  the 
inhabitants  raise  so  much  that  they  and  theirs 
need  suffer  no  want  in  what  they  eat  and  drink, 
yet  they  cannot  readily  convert  provisions  into 
money,  especially  when  they  are  far  from  the 
city.  As  money  is  very  scarce  in  the  whole 
country,  of  course  they  can  spare  but  little 
out  of  their  families,  applicable  to  teachers, 
churches,  and  schools.     Others  could,  perhaps, 


260  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

although  not  without  difficulty,  support  a 
preacher  in  case  of  necessity.  But  as  all  the 
preachers  must  be  sent  in  from  Germany,  they 
cannot  defray  the  great  expenses  required  for 
such  a  long  voyage,  not  to  mention  that  faith- 
ful laborers,  who  do  not  seek  the  wool  but  the 
sheep,  are  very  rare  even  in  Germany ;  and, 
besides,  the  circumstances  of  every  one  do  not 
permit  the  acceptance  of  a  call  into  such  a 
distant  land.  Now,  even  if  a  congregation  is 
provided  with  a  preacher  for  the  present,  and 
new  laborers  could  not  still  be  sent  afterwards 
into  this  vineyard,  such  a  congregation  would 
yet  not  be  permanently  cared  for,  but  if  he  was 
removed  by  death,  they  would  be  just  as 
forsaken  as  they  were  before.  In  Germany  it 
is  understood  much  too  little  what  a  favor  of 
God  it  is  that  each  village,  or  at  least  several 
contiguous  places,  have  their  own  preacher, 
and  if  one  dies  they  can  get  another  without 
great  expense ;  and,  in  addition,  the  salary  is 
taken  from  old  charitable  institutions,  so  that 
those  now  living  need  contribute  very  little 
thereto. 

§  51.  But  the  congregation  in   Philadelphia 
especially  is  not  as  yet  in  such  circumstances 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  26 1 

that  they,  without  the  contributions  of  liberal 
benefactors,  could  be  placed  in  such  a  condition 
as  to  see  themselves  and  their  successors 
provided  for  permanently.  The  same  is, 
indeed,  perhaps,  the  most  numerous  congrega- 
tion ;  but  a  very  large  part  consists  of  such 
poor  sold  domestics,  who  have  yet  to  serve 
for  some  time  to  pay  for  their  passage,  and 
who,  after  they  have  paid  for  the  same  by  their 
labor,  and  acquired  something  for  themselves, 
must  see  to  it  that  they  purchase  a  plantation 
for  themselves  further  up  the  country  on  which 
they  may  support  themselves,  and  thus  it 
almost  constantly  remains  the  poorest  congre- 
gation in  the  whole  country.  Besides,  they  are 
yet  nearly  3000  Rix  dollars  in  debt  for  the 
church  which  they  built,  for  which  they  must 
pay  a  heavy  interest ;  which,  as  is  readily  per- 
ceived, is  a  great  burden  to  them  in  maintain- 
ing their  preacher.  It  would  therefore  be 
desirable  that,  first  of  all,  this  poor  congrega- 
tion should  further  be  made  glad  with  a 
contribution  from  the  liberal  hand  of  God, 
which-  could  be  applied  for  the  extinction  of 
this  debt,  as  the  preservation  and  continuance 
of  the  arrangements  here  made,  exert  a  great 


262  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

influence  on  all  the  other  congregations,  since 
Philadelphia  is  the  principal  city,  in  which  also 
all  strangers  first  arrive.  In  time  God  will  also 
give  them  the  ability  to  build  the  requisite 
dwellings  for  preacher  and  school-teacher,  who 
must  still  live  in  rented  habitations. 

§  52.  Of  laying  the  foundation  of  a  sure  en- 
dowment for  the  future  maintenance  of 
churches  and  schools,  and  the  teachers  in  the 
same  ;  and  also  for  sending  them  over  from 
Germany,  could  not  as  yet  be  thought  of;  and 
before  all,  we  were  entirely  satisfied  with  the 
kind  providence  of  God,  which  has  hitherto 
graciously  cared  for  the  present  necessity. 
He,  the  faithful  God,  who  has  begun  to 
help,  will,  as  is  hoped,  further  manifest  his 
aid.  As  there  are  so  many  poor  people  as 
well  in  the  congregation  in  Philadelphia  as 
in  other  congregations,  it  is  not  a  little 
grief  to  the  preachers  that  they  are  not  even  in 
a  condition  to  keep  the  quite  poor  children  free 
at  school.  The  schoolmasters  have  no  other 
support  than  that  derived  from  the  schools,  and 
can  scarcely  live  from  it,  as  most  of  the  children 
are  employed  by  the  parents  in  field  work  and 
otherwise   during  the   summer,  and  are  only 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  263 

kept  at  school  in  winter.  For  the  education 
of  poor,  forsaken  orphans,  means  are  likewise 
wanting,  and  everywhere  the  condition  of  the 
congregations  is  so  constituted  as  it  is  possible 
with  such  as  are  first  brought  into  order. 

§  53.  Now,  although  it  cannot  be  denied, 
that  there  are  also  rich  people  among  the  Ger- 
man inhabitants  of  Pennsylvania,  still  the  most 
of  those  who  possess  this  world's  goods  have 
gone  over  to  the  party  of  the  Anabaptists, 
Quakers,  and  other  sects  ;  which  is  not  to  be 
wondered  at,  when  we  consider  that  these  poor 
people  had  no  regular  teachers  for  so  many 
years.  But  as  the  Quakers  had  from  the 
beginning  been  the  lord-proprietors  of  the  land, 
these  parties  have  the  upper  hand  in  it,  and 
whoever  would  attain  to  importance,  finds  no 
better  opportunity  than  to  go  over  to  their 
side.  One  and  another  German  of  the  sects, 
who  found  no  true  rest  for  their  souls  among 
them,  have  indeed  again  left  them.  But  true 
concern  for  the  soul  seldom  comes  readily  into 
the  hearts  of  those  who  have  everything  in  the 
world  which  they  wish  for,  but  generally  first 
finds  room  with  the  poor.  Under  such  cir- 
cumstances, the  rich  inhabitants  of  the  country 


264  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

are  the  very  least  to  be  reckoned  upon ;  al- 
though some  respectable  and  wealthy  mem- 
bers of  the  congregations  have  already  honestly 
contributed  their  part,  like  many  of  the  poor 
also,  according  to  their  ability,  yea,  have  ex- 
erted themselves  beyond  their  ability. 

§  54.  All  hope,  therefore,  rests  upon  the  mer- 
ciful God  alone,  who  is  rich  over  all  who  call 
upon  him,  that  as  he  has  given  his  gracious  bles- 
sing hitherto  in  spiritual  things  to  the  preach- 
ing of  his  word  in  these  congregations,  he  will 
also  liberally  bestow  the  temporal  blessing  re- 
quired, for  the  continuation  of  that  which  was 
begun  by  his  aid.  And  as  he  holds  the  hearts 
of  mankind  in  his  hands,  and  can  lead  them  as 
the  waterbrooks,  it  is  a  very  small  thing  for 
him  to  awaken  one  or  another  who  considers 
the  condition  of  these  congregations  to  a  ten- 
der compassion  in  their  behalf,  and  make  him 
willing  to  give  of  his  temporal  riches  a  volun- 
tary contribution  according  to  his  ability,  for 
the  promotion  of  the  good  institutions  of  which 
a  beginning  has  already  been  made. 

§  55.  Those  who  have  been  benefactors 
hitherto,  who  have  opened  their  hearts  and 
their  hands  towards  their  poor  brethren  in  the 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  »  265 

faith,  in  the  new  world,  may  see  from  these 
reports,  that  their  generous  gifts  were  not 
uselessly  applied,  and  that  much  more  was 
already  accomplished  for  the  welfare  of  these 
congregations  than  could  at  first  have  been 
hoped  for  or  expected.  In  less  than  ten  years, 
seven  faithful  laborers  were  sent  out  from  Halle 
into  this  harvest,  viz.,  Mr.  Muhlenberg,  Mr. 
Brunnholtz,  besides  his  two  traveling  compan- 
ions, Messrs.  Kurtz  and  Schaum,  sent  as  cate- 
chists,  and  afterwards  ordained  as  preachers, 
Mr.  Handschuch,  and  those  new  co-laborers 
now  on  their  voyage,  Messrs.  Heintzelmann 
and  Schultze.  The  eighth,  Mr.  Weigand,  the 
Lord  led  to  that  place  in  a  different  manner. 
Of  several  churches,  some  were  newly  built, 
and  some  repaired  and  enlarged.  The  princi- 
pal church  in  Philadelphia  and  the  church  in 
Providence  are  new.  The  church  in  German- 
town  was  enlarged.  The  church  in  New  Han- 
over was  fully  completed,  and  a  new  schoolhouse 
founded.  But  besides  this,  the  congregation 
in  Readingstown  erected  a  new  stone  church, 
whereto  they,  however,  had  received  no  con- 
tribution from  the  collections,  but  encumbered 
themselves  with  debt.  And  in  some  other 
23 


266       REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

places,  the  congregations,  which  are  in  part 
only  occasionally  visited  by  the  preachers, 
have  at  least  prepared  a  house  for  meeting  for 
divine  service.  From  all  of  which  so  much  is 
manifest,  that  those  servants  of  God  who  have 
hitherto  cared  for  these  congregations,  were 
not  idle  in  providing  for  them,  and  the  preachers 
also  were  not  inactive  in  arranging  with  all 
diligence  whatever  pertains  to  external  prepar- 
ation. But  that  that  also,  which  is  surely 
the  principal  thing,  the  inward  building  up  of 
the  kingdom  of  God,  was  not  neglected,  one 
and  another  example  has  indeed  been  hitherto 
given  in  these  reports.  But  in  the  following 
report  of  Mr.  Muhlenberg,  in  the  second  sec- 
tion, and  whatever  he  may  communicate  further 
in  the  subsequent  continuations,  a  number  of 
instances  will  be  presented,  from  which  it  ap- 
pears, that  the  salvation  of  souls  was  really  the 
chief  work  of  the  preachers,  and  that  God 
also  granted  his  rich  blessing  thereto. 

§  56.  Now,  should  some  additional  generous 
charitable  contributions  be  placed  in  the  hands 
of  Dr.  and  Prof.  Franke,  in  Halle,  and  the 
court-preacher,  Ziegenhagen,  in  London,  they 
will  not  fail  to  apply  these  faithfully  also,  and 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  267 

make  profit  thereby  for  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  best  welfare  of  these  congregations.  First, 
a  contribution  would  have  to  be  made  thereof 
to  the  congregation  in  Philadelphia,  for  the 
payment  of  their  church  debts ;  and  next,  it 
would  have  to  be  considered,  that  in  case  new 
laborers  were  again  required,  the  expense 
of  their  voyage  would  have  to  be  defrayed  out 
of  this. 

§  57.  May  God,  who  can  do  exceedingly 
more  than  we  ask  or  understand,  let  his  word 
ever  run  among  these  congregations  with  still 
increasing  blessing  and  be  glorified.  And  as 
he  already,  in  another  part  of  America,  con- 
siderably distant  from  Pennsylvania,  in  Ebene- 
zer,  in  Georgia,  has  planted,  as  a  branch,  a 
small  number  of  Saltzburgers,  exiled  from  their 
fatherland  for  religion's  sake,  which  already,  by 
its  delightful  fruits,  refreshes  those  from  far 
and  near  who  rejoice  in  the  word  of  God, 
thus,  as  he  has  begun  to  stretch  out  his  hands 
in  the  remote  wilderness,  may  he  also  continue 
his  work  begun  among  the  German  Lutherans 
(who,  indeed,  for  the  most  part,  went  over  to 
Pennsylvania  not  with  the  purest  purpose),  as 
they  are  now  eager  for  his  word,  that  not  only 


268       REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

they  and  their  descendants  may  be  preserved  in 
the  true  doctrine,  according  to  the  word  of  God 
and  our  symbolical  books,  but  that  it  (viz.,  the 
pure  doctrine)  may  also  manifest  its  power 
among  them  for  the  kindling  of  a  living  faith, 
and  for  the  radical  change  of  the  hearts  of 
many,  yea,  of  the  most,  and,  if  possible,  of  all 
and  of  every  member  of  these  congregations, 
that  thus  his  honor  also  might  be  glorified  in 
this  region  of  America.  Further,  that  thus 
other  sects  also  may  be  convinced  by  their 
example  that  the  doctrine  of  the  Lutheran 
church  by  no  means  teaches  that  the  people 
may  continue  in  their  profligacy,  but  is  surely 
so  constituted  that  by  it  the  people  are  renewed 
in  heart,  and  receive  power  for  a  holy  life,  if 
they  do  not  resist  the  power  of  the  word. 
Yea,  that  even  the  wild  Indians  and  heathen 
also,  as  they  were  hitherto  so  greatly  stumbled 
and  offended  by  the  lawless  life  of  many  who 
call  themselves  Christians,  may  also  again  see 
many  true  Christians  among  them,  and  through 
them  be  convinced  of  something  better ;  yea, 
that  a  friendly  disposition  may  thereby  be  pro- 
duced in  them  towards  Christianity,  and  some 
way   be   prepared  beforehand,   that   if  in   the 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  269 

future  the  Lord's  will  is  to  let  the  light  of  the 
gospel  arise  brighter  for  them,  the  message  of 
peace  may  find  the  more  access  to  them.  His 
name  be  praised  forever,  and  his  glory  fill  all 
Ian  Is!  Amen. 
23* 


CHAPTER    VII. 

2.    REPORT   OF   PASTOR   MUHLENBERG'S   OFFICIAL 
TRANSACTIONS    HITHERTO. 

/.  Beginning  of  report  of  Jus  official  transactions 
in  which  that  which  is  most  remarkable,  from 
i  J 4-2  until  i  J 4-6 y  is  communicated. 
As  at  present,  the  outward  preliminary  pre- 
paration for  building  has  ceased  somewhat  in 
the  congregations  entrusted  to  me  in  the  coun- 
try, I  will,  in  childlike  simplicity,  report  some 
little  concerning  my  official  transactions,  and 
first  notice  several  circumstances  of  the  time 
when  I  was  yet  alone  in  office. 

In  the  beginning,  I  met  with  a  man  in  Phila- 
delphia, who  was  born  in  L .     His  wife 

related  to  me,  that  he  had  been  addicted  to 
excessive  drink,  card-playing,  and  dice  in  Ger- 
many, whereby  they  were  so  impoverished, 
that  they  were  at  last  necessitated  to  seek  the 
new  world.  He  was  disorderly  enough  in  this 
country  also,  still,  necessity  compelled  him  to 
(27°) 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  2*]  t 

apply  himself  to  his  trade.  His  external 
knowledge  of  Christianity  was,  as  yet,  consid- 
erable. He  could  read  and  write  well,  and  re- 
peat his  catechism  with  the  proof  texts,  and 
had  knowledge  both  in  the  Bible  and  in  the 
Augsburg  Confession.  But  in  the  practice  of 
the  truths,  he  was  very  deficient.  As  great  as 
was  his  readiness,  at  one  time,  to  repeat  the 
Divine  truths,  so  great  was  it,  at  another,  for 
cursing  and  jesting.  He  acknowledged,  in- 
deed, that  he  was  a  great  sinner,  but  his  right- 
eousness consisted  in  this,  that  he  did  not  deny 
his  faith,  and  that  he  did  not  go  over  to  the 
Herrnhuter  sect,  as  others  did  at  that  time. 
Yea,  his  zeal  had  so  provoked  him  against  the 
Herrnhuter,  that  he  even  assailed  them  with 
reproachings  and  execrations.  Now  as  I  was 
generally  instructed  by  my  highly  venerable 
fathers,  that  I  should  not  unnecessarily  have 
much  to  do  with  controversies,  and  also  saw 
that  under  the  circumstances,  this  would  do 
more  harm  than  good,  I  did  not  discuss  any 
particular  disputed  questions  in  my  sermons, 
but  for  the  most  part  urged  repentance  to- 
wards God  and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
I  boldly  declared  to  gross  sinners  that  their 


272        REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

not  joining  the  Zinzendorfer,  did  not  constitute 
them  children  of  God;  steadfastness  in  their  Pro- 
testant Lutheran  doctrines  of  faith,  according 
to  the  unaltered  Augsburg  Confession,  is  laud- 
able and  necessary,  but  they  must  also  show  by 
their  life  that  a  living  faith  was  completed  in 
them,  inter  terror es  conscicntice,  amidst  the  ter- 
rors of  conscience.  The  before-mentioned  man, 
indeed  at  first  thought,  that  perhaps  I  might 
also  be  a  secret  Herrnhuter,  because  I  did  not 
use  words  of  reproach  against  them ;  still  he 
neglected  no  sermon,  and  heard  with  great  at- 
tention. At  length,  he  fell  into  a  lingering 
disease,  viz.,  dropsy,  and  was  punished  with 
that  wherewith  he  had  sinned.  On  such  a 
sick-bed,  he  was,  at  first,  very  impatient,  and 
had  a  great  fear  of  death.  But  after  the  body 
was  chastised  for  a  considerable  time,  he  ulti- 
mately attained  to  better  thoughts.  With  sad- 
ness he  remembered  his  sins  from  his  youth 
up.  The  well  known  Doctor  Zwiefler,  who  is 
a.  Zinzendorfer  brother,  attended  him,  and  now 
and  then  desired  to  speak  with  him  of  his  plan, 
but  he  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  it;  still 
he  said  to  me  that  he  was  sorry  that  he  had 
been  indiscreetly  zealous  against  these  people, 


CONGREGATIONS   IN   AMERICA.  273 

yet  was  glad  also  that  he  was  preserved  from 
their  triflings.  According  to  appearances,  this 
man  attained  to  a  still  deeper  feeling  of  his 
fathomless  ruin,  and  when  he  complained  one 
day,  that  his  sins,  as  a  heavy  burden,  had  be 
come  too  heavy  for  him,  I  directed  him  to 
Jesus  Christ,  who  bore  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world,  and  consequently  his  sins  also,  together 
with  several  choice  passages ;  as  it  seemed  (I 
say  seemed,  as  we  see  the  surface  only,  but 
God  looks  upon  the  heart),  he  found  permanent 
rest  for  his  poor  soul  several  days  before  his 
death.  Believing,  he  was  enabled  to  keep 
himself  to  the  words  :  But  where  sin  abounded, 
grace  did  much  more  abound.  Rom.  v.  20. 
He  was  most  humbly  thankful  towards  the 
highly  venerable  fathers  and  benefactors  in 
Europe,  that  they,  next  to  God,  sent  help. 
The  more  the  assurance  of  the  grace  of  God, 
and  of  peace  in  Christ  Jesus,  increased  in  him, 
the  more  joyful  he  was  to  meet  death,  of  which 
he  would  neither  hear  nor  know  anything  be- 
fore. On  the  evening  before  his  death,  as  they 
stood  around  him  and  thought  it  was  over,  he 
began  to  sing  with  a  loud  voice  :  "  Spread  out 
both  wings,  O  Jesus,"  etc.     On  the  last  day  he 


274  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

stretched  forth  his  hands  and  called  without 
ceasing :  "  Come,  O  death !  thou  brother  of 
sleep,"  etc.,  "  Oh,  that  I  could  yet  this  day 
quit  the  prison  of  this  body,"  etc.,  until  he  at 
length  gently  passed  away,  at  the  age  of  some 
thirty  years.  The  English  Episcopalian  war- 
dens granted  me  permission  to  bury  him  in 
their  churchyard,  as  ours  was  not  yet  ready. 
If  God  plucked  this  poor  soul  as  a  brand  from 
the  fire,  his  holy  name  must  have  the  praise ! 

In  the  year  1744,  a  widow  lived  in  New 
Hanover  whose  husband  was  one  of  those 
wardens  who  first  petitioned  for  a  preacher 
and  for  help  to  our  dear  fathers,  but  who  died 
before  my  arrival.  These  married  people  had 
many  children,  to  whom  the  father,  however, 
had  permitted  too  much  liberty  and  self-will, 
so  that  the  mother  was  unable  to  train  them 
all  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  according  to  her 
desire,  as  they  were  already  grown  up  and  were 
proud  of  the  liberty  of  the  country.  She  her- 
self conducted  herself  as  a  true  widow  ;  hoped 
in  God,  and  continued  in  prayer  day  and  night, 
admonished  her  children  with  many  tears,  cor- 
rected them  according  to  ability,  as  much  as 
they  were,  willing  to  be  corrected.     She   need- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  275 

lessly  neglected  no  sermon,  and  each  time 
heard  the  word  of  God  amid  the  sheddine  of 
many  tears.  Several  of  her  daughters  hum- 
bled themselves,  and  walk  in  her  footsteps,  as 
they  are  joined  in  marriage  to  godly  men,  who 
aid  herein  as  much  as  possible.  The  most  of 
the  sons  follow  their  sinful  ways,  involve  them- 
selves in  misfortune,  and  scoff  at  the  word  of 
God  and  good  institutions.  The  widow  was 
with  me  several  times,  and  wept  bitterly  over 
herself  and  her  children.  I  gave  her  the  nec- 
essary instruction.  At  length  the  Lord  laid 
her  on  a  bed  of  sickness,  and  worked  powerfully 
in  her  soul  by  his  Spirit  and  word.  The  most 
of  her  conversation  was  concerning  her  deep 
misery,  and  the  exceeding  grace  and  mercy  of 
God  in  Christ  Jesus.  After  she  had  also  man- 
ifested a  longing  desire  for  the  Holy  Supper, 
and  was  refreshed  thereby,  she  stretched  out 
her  hands  towards  her  Saviour,  and  expired 
with  great  courage,  amid  singing  and  prayer. 
She  desired  for  our  highly  venerable  fathers, 
and  all  other  dear  benefactors  in  Europe,  many 
thousandfold  blessings  for  their  aid,  and  bade 
them  good  night !  The  Lord  let  her  memory 
remain  with  us  in  blessinc. 


\ 


2j6  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

A  man  in  New  Hanover,  P.  B.,  who  had 
studied  commerce  in  Germany,  lost  all  his 
property  on  the  voyage,  and  had  to  maintain 
himself  in  the  country  here  wearily,  and  in  a 
scanty  manner,  was  my  first  fellow  traveler, 
who  accompanied  me  from  Philadelphia  to  New 
Hanover.  He  led  a  Christian,  quiet  life,  heard 
the  word  of  God  diligently,  and  at  home  edi- 
fied himself  with  Arndt's  "  True  Christianity.', 
He  often  testified  to  his  inward  joy,  that  God 
thought  him  worthy,  to  live  to  see  some  order 
yet  in  the  congregation.  Otherwise  he  was 
already  afflicted  for  some  years  with  an  asth- 
matic affection,  dry  cough,  and  breast  com- 
plaint, which,  with  other  afflictions,  led  him 
still  nearer  to  God.  In  his  youth  he  enjoyed 
good  instruction,  which  was  of  advantage  to 
him,  so  that  he  could  give  a  reason  for  the  hope 
that  was  in  him.  Towards  other  sects  he  was 
circumspect  and  peaceable,  and  sought  to  be 
neighborly  with  every  one,  yet  so  to  live  as  to 
give  away  nothing  of  love  and  truth.  At 
length  his  malady  increased,  and  his  end 
seemed  approaching.  I  was  with  him  a  few 
days  before  his  death,  and  inquired  strictly 
after  his  righteousness,  wherewith'  lie  expected 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  277 

to  stand  before  God,  because  I  secretly  feared 
that  something  of  self-righteousness  might 
cleave  to  him.  But  he  answered  with  earnest 
countenance,  that  he  knew  nothing  in  the 
whole  world,  much  less  in  himself,  that  had 
interceded  or  could  intercede  for  him  before 
God  and  his  most  holy  judgment,  except  the 
only  sufficient,  precious,  invaluable  ransom,  viz., 
the  blood  of  Jesus'  Christ,  in  which,  as  the  very 
greatest  sinner  on  earth,  he  had  and  would  still 
more  inwrap  himself  in  faith,  and  of  this  no  death 
nor  devil  could  rob  him.  In  reference  to  the 
righteousness  of  life,  he  found  therein,  on  his 
part,  numberless  deficiencies  and  errors ;  but  he 
believed  that  his  Intercessor  with  the  Father  in 
heaven  had  blotted  all  out  and  cast  them  into 
the  depths  of  the  sea  for  the  sake  of  his  prom- 
ise. Burdensome  as  it  was  wont  to  be  when 
the  asthma  increased,  and  breathing  became 
difficult,  he  still  continued  for  several  days  and 
nights  in  great  patience,  and  with  Christian 
calmness,  looking  to  his  Saviour,  and  with 
prayer  and  supplication  committed  his  poor 
spirit  into  his  hands,  after  he  had  lived  some- 
what over  fifty  years.  When  he  was  yet  living, 
he  charged  me  in  his  name  most  humbly  to 
24 


278  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

thank  all  the  high  patrons  and  benefactors  in 
Europe. 

Seven  miles  from  Philadelphia  there  was 
an  aged  woman,  whose  husband,  G.  H.,  lived  in 
Halle  in  the  beginning  of  this  century,  where 
he  indeed  experienced  something  of  the  work- 
ings of  the  grace  of  God  in  his  heart;  but  on 
account  of  his  unfaithfulness  attained  to  no 
entire  change  of  heart,  and  afterwards  betook 
himself  to  separation.  He  came  into  this 
country  already  many  years  ago,  and  joined 
himself  with  those  of  like  mind  with  himself. 
The  children  whom  they  had  in  Germany  were 
baptized,  but  those  born  in  this  country  were 
for  the  most  part  grown  up,  and  not  as  yet 
baptized.  The  before-mentioned  woman  still 
had  some  glimmering  of  faith  which  she  had 
received  in  Germany,  but  did  not  dare  to  say 
anything  because  she  was  palsied  and  lame, 
both  in  her  hands  and  feet;  and  besides,  her 
husband  exercised  a  rigid  rule  over  her.  Sub- 
sequently the  eldest  daughter  was  married  to  a 
pious  Hamburger,  from  the  congregation  in 
Philadelphia.  He  did  not  rest  until  the  remain- 
ing children  were  baptized  also.  The  mother 
secretly  encouraged  the   children   to    request 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  279 

baptism.  Finally  the  father  permitted  them  to 
be  baptized,  but  of  the  Lord's  Supper  he  would 
know  nothing.  The  children  comforted  them- 
selves herewith,  that  they  would  partake  of  it 
when  they  attained  their  majority,  and,  accord- 
ing to  the  English  law,  the  father  had  no  more 
control  over  them.  The  poor  mother  did  not 
dare  to  move  herself  at  all,  could  not  come  to 
church,  yet  in  the  last  kw  years  she  heard 
several  funeral  discourses,  which  I  delivered  in 
her  neighborhood.  Finally  a  severe  sickness 
overtook  her,  and  when  she  noticed  that  her 
end  was  approaching,  she  threw  off  restraint, 
and  said  in  the  presence  of  her  husband  and 
her  children,  that  she  would  wait  no  longer  for 
the  holy  Supper,  that  she  had  long  enough 
suffered  hunger  and  thirst  after  it,  and  sighed 
almost  eighteen  years :  Oh !  how  my  soul 
hungers,  friend  of  man,  after  thy  goodness,  etc. 
I  was  to  come  to  her,  but  was  so  far  away  up 
the  country,  that  I  only  reached  her  house  in 
two  days.  During  this  time  she  lay  wholly 
exhausted,  as  if  in  the  last  extremity,  so  that  it 
was  thought  she  would  die  every  moment. 
When  I  arrived,  she  wholly  revived,  raised 
herself  up,  lifted  her  eyes  to  God,  and   with 


280       REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

sadness  complained  of  herself  before  him,  as 
his  lost  sheep.  She  knew  how  to  present 
before  God  his  promises  in  Christ  Jesus,  and 
to  enter  into  them.  I  cannot  decribe  with  pen 
how  eagerly,  fervently,  attentively,  wakefully 
and  trustingly  this  starving  soul  partook  of  the 
holy  Supper.  If  she  was  unable  to  raise  her 
lame  hands,  so  much  the  more  she  lifted  up 
her  heart  and  stammering  tongue  when  she 
had  received  it,  and  with  me  prayed  the  twenty- 
third  Psalm.  Afterwards  her  desire  increased 
to  be  speedily  set  free  and  to  be  with  Christ, 
that  she,  with  David,  according  to  the  seven- 
teenth Psalm,  might  be  satisfied  with  his  like- 
ness, whom  not  seeing,  she  here  loved  in 
weakness  and  in  imperfection.  The  Lord  also 
soon  hastened  home  with  her,  and  permitted 
her  with  joy  to  come  out  of  this  vale  of  misery, 
unto  himself  in  heaven,  after  an  exile  of  some- 
what more  than  fifty  years.  My  worthy 
colleague,  Brunnholtz,  won  the  husband,  so 
that  he  is  now  a  zealous  member  of  the  Ger- 
mantown  congregation,  and  in  many  things 
gives  a  helping  hand. 

There  was  a  man  in  Providence,  J.  N.,  who 
most  sincerely  rejoiced  over  the  good  begin- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  28 1 

ning  in  erecting  the  church,  and  unwearily  put 
his  hand  to  the  building,  and  encouraged 
others.  In  Germany  he  was  given  to  drunken- 
ness, but  in  this  country  he  led  a  sober  and 
honorable  life,  took  pleasure  in  God's  word  and 
edifying  books,  and  therefore  obtained  a  fine, 
solid  understanding/although  in  a  rough  ex- 
terior. It  was  with  him  as  with  the  illiterate 
patient,  who  feels  his  sickness  and  the  opera- 
tion of  the  medicine,  but  cannot  tell  where  the 
cause  of  the  disease  is  located  and  retards  con- 
valescence. He  was  affected  by  almost  every 
sermon,  felt  his  ruin,  and  heard  of  the  good 
physician  Jesus  Christ,  but  did  not  know  how 
to  adapt  himself  properly  in  the  matter.  At 
length  he  became  very  sick,  and  learned  to 
know  himself  as  a  great  sinner,  and  came  to 
Christ  weary  and  heavy  laden  and  found  rest. 
The  less  time  he  had,  the  more  earnestness  he 
manifested  in  true  repentance,  without  suffering 
himself  to  be  delayed,  and  went  into  eternity 
with  the  beautiful  verse  I  Tim.  i.  15  :  This  is  a 
faithful  saying  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation, 
that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save 
sinners,  etc.  This  love  for  church  and  schools 
he  at  last  yet  exhibited  herein,  that  he  be- 
24* 


25?  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

queathed  ,£50  Pennsylvania  money,  to  our 
church  in  Providence,  which  however,  could 
not  be  obtained  until  after  the  death  of  his 
wife. 

In  New  Hanover,  there  was  an  aged  married 
woman,  who  may  have  burdened  her  con- 
science not  a  little  with  gross  sins.  In  hear- 
ing the  word  of  God,  it  seemed  as  if  something 
of  a  knowledge  of  sin,  of  repentance  and  sor- 
row for  it,  and  a  hunger  and  thirst  after  right- 
eousness, were  there,  as  she  was  seldom 
present  at  preaching  without  tears.  But  she 
had  no  long  time  to  hear,  for  the  Lord  laid  her 
on  a  bed  of  sickness.  Although  I  had  spoken 
with  her  several  times  before,  I  had  no  oppor- 
tunity to  be  present  at  her  death,  as  it  was  my 
week  in  Philadelphia.  Those  who  were  pres- 
ent at  her  death,  assured  me  afterwards,  that 
on  the  day  she  died,  she  unceasingly  lifted  up 
her  hands  and  called  out :  "  /  will  not  let  thee 
go,  except  thou  bless  me  ;"  and  that  with  these 
words  she  passed  away  :  "  I  will  not  let  thee  go, 
Lord,  and  thou  also  wilt  not  forsake  me !" 

An  aged  widow  in  Philadelphia  rejoiced 
heartily,  that  she  could  again  hear  the  word  of 
God  in  her  mother  tongue.     Although  she  was 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  283 

palsied,  and  trembled  in  every  limb,  she  but 
seldom  neglected  a  sermon,  and  permitted  a 
strong  man  to  lead  her  in  and  out  of  the  church. 
She  said  that  she  had  come  into  this  country 
long  years  ago  with  her  husband,  and  found 
nothing  of  their  divine  service,  but  were  as  if 
forsaken.  Her  husband  therefore  learned  the 
Swedish  language,  that  he  might  attend  divine 
service  with  the  Swedes,  as  they  from  the  be- 
ginning had  been  supplied  with  preachers. 
She,  however,  was  unable  to  learn  this  lan- 
guage, and  therefore  had  to  remain  without 
instruction  also.  The  prayers  which  she  had 
learned  in  her  tender  youth,  she  had  sought  to 
gather  up  again,  and  supported  herself  with 
these.  "  Oh  !  how  often,"  she  said,  "  have  I 
thought  of  Germany,  where  they  have  spiritual 
food  in  abundance,  and  are  so  little  thankful." 
The  short  rhymed  prayer :  Christ s  blood  and 
his  righteousness,  etc.,  she  would  not  part  with 
for  all  the  treasures  of  the  world,  because  she 
obtained  great  comfort  from  it  during  many 
years.  She  was  simple  and  childlike,  contrib- 
uted her  widow's  mite  for  church  building,  and 
said :  "  If  our  fathers  and  patrons  in  Europe 
manifest  so  much  love  and  mercy  to  us  poor 


284  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

and  forsaken  people,  I  will  give  my  mite  also  ; 
God  will  not  despise  it."  At  length,  God  took 
her  home  in  peace,  after  she  had  been  visited 
once  more  by  my  worthy  colleague,  Mr. 
Brunnholtz,  who  also  afterwards  buried  her. 

Our  old  praying  Hannah  in  New  Hanover, 
of  whom  something  was  said  in  our  first  nar- 
ration, also  ultimately  fell  asleep  praying.  She 
was  long  already  dead  unto  the  world,  and 
would  know  of  nothing  else,  than  to  kiss  her 
crucified  Saviour.  Her  age  was  nearly  ninety 
years. 

A  young  married  woman  of  thirty,  in  said 
New  Hanover,  who  had  an  earthly-minded 
husband,  lived  in  a  mill,  and  sighed  amid  the 
tumult  of  the  world,  was  awakened,  so  that 
she  entered  into  herself,  saw  her  ruin,  and 
hungered  and  thirsted  after  the  righteousness 
of  Christ.  She  thought  that  she,  with  the 
woman  who  was  a  sinner  (Luke  vii.),  had  cast 
her  sins  upon  Christ,  and  obtained  forgiveness 
from  him,  together  with  the  sealing  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  She  spoke  of  death  with  pleas- 
ure, and  was  wont  to  say  :  She  zvcts  like  a  bride ', 
who  waited  for  the  bridegroom,  and  if  she  re- 
mained  in  the  world  and   its    confusion,    she 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  285 

might  perhaps  lose  her  first  love  and  grow 
cold.  She  lived  five  English  miles  from  the 
church,  yet  did  not  readily  neglect  the  meet- 
ing. When  she  went  home  from  the  church, 
on  the  way  she  frequently  went  into  the  forest 
alone,  bowed  her  knees  and  prayed  fervently. 
When  asked  for  the  reason,  she  answered  : 
When  she  heard  the  word  of  God  in  the  con- 
gregation, her  heart  became  filled  with  hunger 
and  thirst  for  Jesus  ;  then,  when  she  could  pour 
out  her  heart's  desire  in  silence,  she  received 
power  from  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  stand  against 
her  spiritual  foes  and  their  seductions.  My 
dear  colleague,  Mr.  Brunnholtz,  once  had  an 
edifying  conversation  with  her,  and- rejoiced 
very  much  that  he  met  with  so  fine  a  soul,  in 
the  rough  and  wild  thickets.  She  represented 
to  herself  the  day  of  her  death  as  a  bridal  day, 
and  chose  for  her  funeral  text,  Psalm  xvi.  6, 
The  lines  are  fallen  unto  me  in  pleasant  places  ; 
yea,  I  have  a  goodly  heritage.  At  length  she 
also  speedily  attained  her  wished-for  desire, 
and  died  in  peace,  and  was  enabled  to  say :  I 
know  that  in  Jesus'  blood  and  wounds,  etc., 
from  the  hymn :  Who  knows  how  near  to  me 
is    mine    end,    etc.     As    both    English    and 


286  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

Germans  followed  to  the  grave,  I  preached  in 
English  on  Job  xix.  25,  For  I  know  that  my 
Redeemer  liveth,  etc. ;  and  for  the  Germans  I 
preached  from  her  chosen  text. 

The  wife  of  a  church  warden  in  Providence 
had  much  care  and  trouble  with  worldly 
matters,  but  desisted  therefrom  half  a  year 
before  her  death,  and  concerned  herself  about 
the  one  thing  needful.  She  was  more  fervent 
in  prayer,  in  her  heart  she  considered  the 
sermons  better  than  before,  and  heard  with 
tears.  Her  husband  read  diligently  for  her  at 
home,  from  Arndt's  True  Christianity,  and  from 
her  conduct  testified  that  a  real  change  had 
taken  place  in  her.  She  had  chosen  for  her 
funeral  text,  Lamentations  v.  16,  The  crown  is 
fallen  from  our  head:  woe  7 into  us  that  we  have 
sinned!  The  husband  lives  near  the  Mennon- 
ite  meeting-house,  and  had  formerly  assisted  in 
constructing  their  church-yard,  on  which  he 
had  in  part  laid  his  family,  and  wished,  there- 
fore, to  have  his  wife  buried  there  also.  A 
great  many  had  assembled  at  the  funeral,  as  all 
sects  go  to  funerals,  as  they  say,  for  the  sake  of 
the  universal  love.  After  we  had  interred  the 
dead,  I    desired  to   preach    under   a    tree,    on 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  287 

account  of  the  great  heat.  But  the  three  Men- 
nonite  preachers  present  came  to  me  and  said 
that  I  should  preach  in  their  roomy  meeting- 
house. I  answered  that  as  under  our  gracious 
king's  government  all  parties  who  acknowledge 
a  Supreme  Being  are  tolerated  in  this  country, 
I  would  not  disturb  them  in  their  liberty  and 
occasion  consequences.  But  they  were  unceas- 
ing in  their  petition,  and  said  that  I  should  not 
despise  their  house.  I  thought  that  they  per- 
haps might  the  more  willingly  receive  the 
word  if  I  fulfilled  their  desire.  On  entering, 
the  oldest  preacher  whispered  to  me  that  I, 
however,  should  use  no  strange  ceremonies, 
whom  I  answered  that  I  would  make  use  of 
no  other  than  the  usages  of  my  Evangelical 
Lutheran  Church.  After  the  conclusion  of  the 
sermon,  the  old  man  apologized,  and  said  that 
I  should  forgive  him  for  his  speech ;  he  had  not 
known  what  ceremonies  we  used.  With  tear- 
ful eyes  they  all  thanked  me  that  I  had  sounded 
the  trumpet  of  repentance,  as  they  called  it,  in 
their  house.  I  afterwards  had  to  preach  four 
times  in  the  same  house  on  funeral  occasions, 
distant  from  our  congregation.  The  preachers 
were  present    each    time,  and  said    that    their 


288  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

souls  were  awakened  and  blessed,  and  also 
requested  good  friendship  and  good  neighbor- 
hood. In  these  sermons  I  did  not  discuss  the 
points  in  dispute  between  us,  but  proclaimed 
repentance,  faith,  and  godliness,  which  we  all, 
without  exception,  need  most  and  before  all. 

In  New  Hanover,  a  lad  of  ten  years,  came 
out  of  the  school  of  our  dear  co-laborer  Wra. 
Vigera,  and  was  suddenly  taken  sick.  Shortly 
before  his  death,  he  asked  for  the  New  Testa- 
ment, and  opened  at  the  beautiful  passage,  John 
iii.  1 6,  For  God  so  loved  the  zvorld,  etc.,  read 
it  over  several  times,  and  said :  "  Dear 
mother,  with  this  verse  I  will  go  to  heaven. 
Since  God  has  so  loved  me  as  to  give  his  only 
begotten  Son,  I  cannot  be  lost,"  etc.  Shortly 
after  he  joyfully  died. 

Another  lad  of  six  years,  whose  father  feared 
God  from  his  heart,  lay  sick.  Before  he  died, 
he  called  his  father  to  his  bed,  and  said :  "  My 
dear  father,  I  am  going  out  of  this  wicked 
world  into  heaven,  where  my  dearest  Redeemer, 
Jesus  Christ,  and  all  holy  angels  dwell.  There 
I  will  forever  praise  and  glorify  my  dear  God, 
who  created  me,  and  redeemed  and  sanctified 
me.     Remain  pious,  my  dear  father;  be   dili- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  289 

gent  in  prayer,  continue  to  love  the  Lord  Jesus 
and  his  word,  then  will  he  also  soon  take  you 
to  that  beautiful  place."  After  he  had  spoken 
thus,  he  requested  that  his  father  might  yet  sing 
with  him  a  verse  of  a  beautiful  hymn.  With  a 
weeping  heart  the  father  sang,  and  the  child  fell 
asleep. 

A  gray  head  in  the  New  Hanover  congrega- 
tion bowed  itself  unto  death.  This  man  had 
many  cares  on  account  of  arrangements  with 
his  children.  I  first  removed  these  out  of  the 
way  and  composed  his  last  will.  Afterwards 
we  had  much  to  do  with  the  only  sufficient 
righteousness  which  is  valid  before  God,  and 
self-righteousness  that  is  a  filthy  garment.  I 
often  think  of  the  words  of  our  pious  fathers  : 
We  are  triinistri  gratice,  and  not  magistri,  i.  c, 
servants,  not  masters  of  grace.  We  present 
the  means  of  grace,  pray  to  God  for  help  and 
blessing,  and  as  for  the  rest,  observe  how  the 
Spirit  of  God  works  by  these,  and  what  the 
hinderances  are  which  stand  in  the  way.  This 
old  man,  according  to  his  confession,  did  not 
wish  to  die  otherwise  than  trusting  to  the 
blood  and  death  of  Jesus  as  a  poor  sinner,  and 
in  himself  worthy  of  condemnation.  During 
2S  T 


29O  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

the  last  years,  his  life  had  been  Christian-like 
and  quiet,  and  he  had  great  pleasure  and  delight 
in  the  word  of  God.  In  his  testament  he  be- 
queathed ,£5  of  our  money  to  our  church, 
which  the  heirs  carefully  paid. 

A  young  married  women  lived  scarcely  one 
and  a  half  years  with  her  husband,  when  she 
fell  into  a  severe  sickness,  which  gradually 
wasted  her  away.  During  her  illness,  she  at- 
tained to  a  salutary  knowledge  and  sense  of 
sin,  was  repentant  and  sorry  on  account  of 
them  generally,  and  especially  for  one  sin, 
which  she  had  committed  in  Germany,  and 
which  she  revealed  to  the  assistant,  Mr.  Kurtz, 
who  visited  her  in  my  absence.  With  her 
weary  and  heavy-laden  heart,  she  was  directed 
to  him  who  received  publicans  and  sinners ; 
who  sought  for  the  hundredth  sheep  which  was 
lost ;  who  has  promised  to  cast  none  out  who 
come  unto  him,  and  who  goes  out  to  meet  the 
prodigal  on  his  return.  Oh!  shouldst  thou  see 
his  heart,  etc.,  from  the  hymn,  My  Saviour  re- 
ceiveth  sinners,  etc.  From  some  signs  we  might 
conclude  that  the  poor  soul  found  the  true  foun- 
dation, where  her  faith  and  hope  could  anchor. 
She  became   tranquil  and  gave  up  her  spirit. 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  29 1 

A  young  man  of  thirty  served  us  in  the  New 
Hanover  congregation  as  leader  of  the  choir. 
He  sought  and  loved  the  one  thing  needful, 
therefore  hated  evil  company,  and  would  not 
follow  the  rude  multitude,  and  on  this  account 
was  scoffed  at.  But  he  had  fallen  into  certain 
Circumstances,  which  followed  and  injured  him. 
He,  with  his  aged  father,  had  rented  a  piece  of 
land,  purchased  the  cattle  necessary,  and  all 
this  on  credit.  But  as  he  was  unfortunate  with 
the  cattle,  he  was  unable  to  pay.  The  debts 
oppressed  him  very  much,  and  are  even  not  all 
paid  as  yet,  after  his  death.  If  a  countryman 
here,  who  begins  empty-handed,  is  unlucky 
with  his  cattle,  and  gets  into  debt,  he  is  some- 
times troubled  with  it  all  his  life.  Said  young 
man  had  hired  himself  as  a  furnace  clerk,  to  a 
respectable  Quaker  and  justice  of  the  peace, 
where  he  might  perhaps  have  paid  off  his 
debts,  but  would  have  been  subjected  to  many 
temptations  and  seductions.  He  had,  however, 
scarcely  entered  upon  his  office  there,  when, 
riding  on  a  wagon,  the  horses  started  suddenly, 
overturned  the  wagon,  and  caused  him  a  fatal 
fall.  Early  on  Sunday  he  desired  me  to  come 
to  him  at  the  house  of  his  employer ;  but  as  I 


292  REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

could  not  put  off  the  sermon  in  the  congrega- 
tion, I  only  arrived  towards  evening,  and  found 
him  indeed  fully  in  his  right  mind,  but  very 
near  unto  death.  His  friends  and  acquaintances 
stood  around  him  and  wept,  on  account  of  his 
fall.  As  soon  as  he  saw  me  he  also  wept.  I 
said  that  he  must  now  in  a  moment  appear 
before  the  judgment-seat  of  God,  to  receive  as 
he  had  done  in  the  body.  Who  could  inter- 
cede for  him,  and  how  would  he  appear  before 
it?  Weeping,  he  said:  "I  have  before  now 
united  myself  in  faith  with  my  Intercessor;  in 
weakness  I  have  loved  him,  and  know  none 
other,  neither  in  heaven  nor  upon  earth,  who 
has  and  who  can  mediate  for  me,  but  my  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  He  will  not  enter  into  judgment 
with  me."  Afterwards  I  had  all  the  people 
leave  him,  and  yet  spoke  with  him  one  thing 
and  another  concerning  that  which  I  thought 
necessary  for  him,  and  according  to  my  weak 
understanding.  I  found  that  he  was  considera- 
bly collected  in  mind.  He  had  a  longing 
desire  to  partake  of  the  holy  Supper  before  he 
died,  and  said  that  the  hunger  and  thirst  after 
it  had  upheld  him  so  long,  or  else  he  would 
already  have    died    in   the   forenoon.     In   the 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  293 

presence  of  many  people  of  various  opinions, 
he  offered  up  a  penitential  prayer  before  God, 
and  in  it  cast  all  his  cares  upon  the  Lord,  par- 
took of  the  holy  Supper  like  a  healthy  person, 
after  its  reception  prayed  with  me,  and  also 
sang  with  us  in  an  audible  voice  the  fourth 
verse  of  the  hymn  :  Jesus,  thy  deep  wounds, 
etc.  Yes,  for  all  that  me  doth  grieve,  and  thy 
wounds  give  power,  etc.  When  we  had  sung 
this  verse,  he  adjusted  himself  and  said  :  "  Now 
I  die  in  the  Lord."  We  sung  the  last  verse  of 
the  same  hymn :  If  I  have  thee  in  my  heart, 
thou  fountain  of  all  goodness,  etc. ;  and  in  the 
midst  of  singing  he  fell  asleep  gently  and  happy. 
On  account  of  his  quiet  life,  his  employer,  and 
other  Quakers  also,  loved  him,  and  followed 
him  to  the  grave,  for  whom  I  delivered  an 
exhortation  in  the  English  language. 

In  the  year  of  1746,  my  wife's  grandfather, 
the  old  Conrad  Weiser,  came  to  my  house, 
who  had  lived  in  New  York  since  17 10,  and 
latterly  on  the  borders  of  New  England.  The 
reasons  of  his  coming  to  us  were  the  follow- 
ing: First,  it  was  very  dangerous  to  live  at  his 
place,  as  in  the  present  war  times  the  French 
Indians,  or  savages  from  Canada,  rove  about 
25* 


294  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

and  kill  the  English  subjects  in  a  cruel  man- 
ner. When  a  French  Indian  has  murdered  an 
English  subject,  he  draws  off  the  skin  with 
the  hair,  which  covers  the  skull  of  the  slain, 
attaches  it  to  a  long  pole,  enters  in  triumph, 
and  receives  ten  pounds  in  money  as  a  reward 
for  each  scalp  from  the  French  government. 
Now  as  several  Germans  in  his  neighborhood 
had  already  been  massacred,  and  were  treated 
thus,  he  was  unwilling  to  give  his  gray  head 
into  the  hands  of  the  savages.  In  the  second 
place,  he  desired  to  see  his  children  and  his 
children's  children  once  more,  and  to  speak 
with  me  of  the  way  of  salvation.  Thirdly,  he 
desired  to  have  his  resting-place  with  us  in 
Pennsylvania.  He  was  so  wearied  by  his  long 
fatiguing  journey  and  his  great  age,  that  he 
was  nearly  dead  when  brought  to  my  house. 
After  he  had  lain  in  bed  for  twenty-four  hours 
and  taken  some  nourishment,  he  revived  again, 
and  in  half-broken  words  began  to  pray  the 
hymn :  "  Soar  up  unto  thy  God,"  etc.,  and 
especially  repeated  the  third  verse :  "  Have  I 
done  aught  that  is  amiss,"  etc.  His  eyes  were 
very  dim,  his  hearing  lost,  so  that  I  could  not 
speak  much  with  him.     But  I  could  not  listen 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  295 

to  him  without  tears  of  joy,  how  heartily  he 
continually  repeated  the  very  strongest  proof- 
texts,  concerning  the  gracious  reconciliation  in 
Christ;  as  e.  g.,  "Surely  He  hath  borne  our 
griefs"  etc.  "This  is  a  faithful  saying  and 
worthy  of  all  acceptation,"  etc.,  "  God  was  in 
Christ,  reconciling  the  world  unto  himself," 
"  For  God  so  loved  the  world,"  etc.  To  which 
he  added  the  passages  which  specially  relate 
to  appropriation,  viz. ;  "  Come  unto  me  all  ye 
that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,"  etc.  "  Him 
that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out," 
etc.,  "  Father,  I  have  sinned  against  heaven 
and  before  thee,"  etc.,  "  God  be  merciful  to  me 
a  sinner !"  The  sixth  verse  of  the  hymn : 
"  Who  knows  how  near  to  me  is  my  end,"  etc., 
"Oh!  Father  cover  all  my  sins,"  etc.  I  had 
everything  quieted  around,  so  that  he  did  not 
know  or  notice  that  any  one  was  present,  so 
that  he  alone  and  in  spirit  might  hold  converse 
with  the  omnipresent  God.  O  how  well  it  is  if 
in  youth  we  gather  a  treasure  out  of  the  living 
Word  of  God !  Even  if  it  does  not  instantly 
attain  to  vigor  and  bear  fruit  in  practice,  on 
account  of  various  hindrances,  still  God  re- 
mains faithful  and  does  all  thing's  well  in  his 


296  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

time.  It  seems  to  me  that  I  had  and  saw  a 
beautiful  example  in  this  soul  how  the  Spirit 
of  God  is  truly  conjoined  with  the  Word.  It 
is  a  real  joy  when  we  see  the  old  evangelical 
Lutheran  truths  become  quickened  in  a  soul. 
How  sad,  on  the  contrary,  when  persons  from 
a  desire  for  innovation,  trample  under  foot  as  it 
were  the  old  valuable  treasures,  and  form  new 
sects,  which  externally  indeed  seem  somewhat 
more  polished  than  the  old  mode,  but  in  sub- 
stance not  to  be  compared  with  it.  After  the 
old  man  had  again  somewhat  recovered  his 
strength,  we  had  several  short  edifying  conver- 
sations. The  subject  each  time  related  to  two 
points,  viz.:  Our  incomprehensibly  deep  ruin 
with  which  we  are  charged  in  the  moral  law, 
which  is  spiritual,  and  the  inscrutably  high  grace 
of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  which  is  offered  unto 
us  in  the  gospel,  and  in  a  certain  order,  freely  be- 
stowed. Of  both  he  made  his  confession  in  the 
first  and  in  the  second  person,  viz. :  "  Whither 
shall  I  flee,"  etc.,  "Oh!  Jesus  full  of  grace," 
etc.,  "  With  me  are  many  sins,  but  with  thee 
there  is  much  forgiveness."  He  afterwards 
manifested  a  longing  hunger  and  thirst  for  the 
holy   Supper,  and  said  that  he  had   not  par- 


CONGREGATIONS   IN   AMERICA.  297 

taken  of  it  for  several  years  on  account  of  the 
want  of  preachers  in  his  place.  As  it  was  Sun- 
day, and  several  members  of  our  congregation 
were  with  me  before  service,  he  made  a  confes- 
sion of  his  sins,  humbled  himself  before  his 
Saviour  as  a  poor  worm  worthy  of  condemna- 
tion ;  asked  for  grace  and  pardon,  and  for  the 
Holy  Spirit  unto  a  better  life,  and  was  so  edify- 
ing to  all  present  that  with  him  they  were 
melted  into  tears.  After  he  had  received  the 
holy  Supper,  he  prayed  the  twenty-third 
Psalm  with  us,  and  refreshed  himself  with  the 
hymn:  "When  my  sins  do  grieve  me,"  etc. 
The  few  days  he  yet  tarried  with  us  he  em- 
ployed  for  the  edification  of  his  soul  by  the 
Word  of  God,  and  did  not  weary  in  praying 
the  hymn  :  "  O  thou  Triune  God  whom  I  have 
chosen,"  etc.  The  fifth  and  sixth  verses  of 
this  hymn  he  chose  as  his  funeral  text,  and 
with  the  tenth  verse  he  especially  edified  him- 
self. In  the  meanwhile  my  father-in-law  sent 
a  wagon  and  a  bed,  had  him  brought  to  him 
fifty  miles  further  up  the  country,  and  when  he 
had  blessed  us,  reached  the  place  with  great 
fatigue,  and  yet  lived  for  a  short  time  with  his 
Joseph  in  Goshen,  he  at  length  fell  asleep  amid 


298        REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

the  affectionate  prayers  and  sighs  of  his  chil- 
dren and  children's  children  standing  around 
him,  after  wandering  on  this  pilgrimage  between 
eighty  and  ninety  years. 

A  man  of  the  Reformed  church,  who  kept 
school  several  miles  from  Providence,  attended 
our  meetings  diligently,  and  on  each  occasion 
listened  with  attention,  and  also  perceived  in 
course  of  time,  that  more  than  the  form  or  ap- 
pearance of  godliness  was  necessary  for  salva- 
tion. The  good  which  was  wrought  in  his 
soul  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  means  of  his 
word,  also  had  an  influence  upon  his  family. 
He  gave  his  children  and  grandchildren  whom 
he  had  with  him,  a  good  example,  and  kept 
them  to  prayer  and  in  the  fear  of  God.  Sev- 
eral of  his  grandchildren  died  with  dysentery, 
who  with  their  little  sighs  of  heart,  and  singu- 
lar patience,  edified  and  gave  not  a  little  joy  to 
the  neighbors.  This  is  especially  noticeable  in 
the  country,  that  we  frequently  observe  very 
special  and  welcome  signs  of  grace,  when  par- 
ents have  anything  good  in  them,  and  give 
evidence  of  it,  and  also  take  care  of  their 
young  ingrafted  branches,  and  water  them  with 
the  word  of  God.     An  outward   help   thereto, 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  299 

is,  that  the  people  do  not  live  so  near  together 
as  in  towns  and  villages,  and  the  children  are 
not  enticed  so  early  by  wicked  examples,  if 
they  are  not  neglected.  At  length,  this  man 
was  also  overtaken  by  a  severe  sickness.  One 
of  our  wardens  in  Providence,  who  lived  near 
him,  diligently  visited  the  sick  man,  and  spoke 
with  him  of  the  one  thing  needfnl.  And  as  I 
had  to  bury  one  of  his  grand-children,  the  old 
man,  who  was  lying  very  sick,  requested  me 
to  preach  the  funeral  sermon  on  the  outside  be- 
neath his  window,  that  he  in  the  inside  might 
hear  and  be  edified.  I  did  this,  and  expounded 
2  Tim.  iv.  7,  8,  for  the  awakening  of  both  those 
who  were  without  and  those  who  were  within. 
And  as  the  circumstances  had  permitted  me 
beforehand  to  speak  specially  with  the  sick 
man,  I  inquired  of  him,  whether  he  had  much 
to  do  with  the  sickness  itself,  and  with  his 
bodily  pains.  Persons  sometimes  say:  The 
anguish  of  my  heart  is  great,  and  when  wc 
strictly  inquire,  the  poor  soul  sleeps  in  sin  and 
in  security,  and  it  is  the  natural  feeling  only 
which  writhes  and  moans  over  the  aches  of 
the  body.  He  answered :  That  his  disease 
did  not  give  him  the  least  concern,  even  if  the 


300  REPORTS   FROM    LUTHERAN 

body  should  molder  into  dust.  Yea,  he  could 
say,  that  he  did  not  even  think  of  his  pains, 
but  set  his  thoughts  on  his  undying  soul  and 
the  important  change  impending.  Judging 
from  several  incidents,  I  said  to  him,  that  he 
perhaps  may  shortly  have  to  enter  upon  the 
great  journey  from  time  into  eternity.  He  an- 
swered :  "  Ah!  yes,  I  have  a  difficult  journey 
before  me  to  thee,  into  the  heavenly  paradise  ; 
there  is  my  true  fatherland,  on  which  thou  hast 
bestowed  thy  blood!"  I  said:  "  Since  then  the 
time  is  so  short,  and  the  change  so  near,  heart- 
ily examine  yourself,  how  you  stand  with  God 
and  his  Son,  the  Judge  of  the  living  and  of  the 
dead.  Are  you  a  sinner?"  He  answered: 
"Alas !  yes,  I  am  the  greatest  sinner  upon  earth, 
and  I  have  committed  more  sins,  in  thoughts, 
words,  deeds,  and  omission  of  that  which  is 
good,  than  there  is  sand  on  the  seashore."  I  in- 
quired :  "  What  is  the  cause  ?"  He  answered  : 
"  My  unbelief."  I  asked :  "  Does  the  Spirit  of  God 
reprove  you  for  this  ?"  He  answered  :  "  Yea,  I 
am  convinced,  that  I  did  not  believe,  and  of 
myself  cannot  as  yet  believe."  I  inquired 
further  :  "  Where  then  do  you  wish  to  remain 
with  your  sins  ?    do  you  desire  to  take  them 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  3OI 

with  you  into  eternity  ?"  And  when  he  an- 
swered :  "Oh  !  no,  there  is  no  sacrifice  more  for 
sin  there,"  I  said  to  him :  "Then  gather  together 
your  whole  load  of  sin  and  cares,  and  in  heart- 
felt prayer,  weary  and  heavy  laden,  cast  your- 
self with  them  at  the  feet  of  the  great  Re- 
deemer of  the  world.  By  his  wounds  you 
also,  as  a  contrite  sinner,  shall  and  can  be 
purified  and  healed.  Do  you  believe  this?" 
With  tearful  eyes  he  answered:  "Lord,  I  believe; 
help  thou  my  unbelief.  Lord,  I  believe,  help  me 
feeble  one,  yea,  let  me  not  despair,"  etc.  As  he 
was  weak,  and  unable  to  converse  much,  we 
who  were  standing  by  kneeled,  and  presented 
his  cares  before  the  Lord,  and  inquired*  of  him, 
whether  his  case  was  such  ?  He  answered,  Yes, 
as  a  poor  penitent  sinful  worm,  he  desired  to 
abide  by  the  sufficient  atoning  blood  of  his 
Jesus,  and  although  with  weak  faith,  yet  thereon 
to  live  and  to  die.  We  sang :  "  Oh !  Father 
cover  all  my  sins  with  the  merit  of  Jesus,"  etc. 
He  afterwards  lived  yet  a  few  days,  and  made 
good  use  of  the  promises  of  God,  until  he  at 
length  as  we  charitably  hope,  passed  from  faith 
to  sight. 

An  aged  man-,  and   a  member  of  the  New 
26 


302  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

Hanover  congregation,  could  not  believe  for  a 
long  time  that  he  was  aoepfc,  or  ungodly,  as  all 
men  are  by  nature  without  the  righteousness 
of  Christ.  Against  this  he  knew  how  to  cite 
many  witnesses,  both  from  Germany  and  this 
country,  who  knew  him  as  an  honest  and 
peaceable  man.  But  as  he  diligently  gave 
heed  to  the  sermons,  and  attended  a  meeting 
for  edification,  in  which  several  examples  from 
the  Saltzburg  and  Malabar  reports  were  read, 
and  old  forcible  Lutheran  hymns  were  ex- 
plained, he  gradually  perceived  that  his  honesty 
and  his  own  garment  of  righteousness  were 
insufficient.  Still,  he  thought  it  might  be 
impossible  to  attain  to  a  better  and  more  perfect 
righteousness.  The  excellent  examples  of 
Nicodemus,  Paul,  Mary  Magdalene,  the  pub- 
lican, and  the  prodigal  son,  he  referred  to  the 
times  which  are  past,  and  the  experience  of  his 
preachers  he  ascribed  to  their  calling  and 
station.  The  more  recent  examples  which 
were  read  he  would  rather  have  seen  with  his 
own  eyes,  than  heard  of  from  a  distance.  Yet 
the  Lord,  who  loved  his  redeemed  soul,  granted 
grace,  that  he  at  length  became  poor  in  spirit, 
and  gradually  lost  his  false  supports.     He  did 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  303 

not  know  how  to  say  much  about  it,  still  he 
lamented  his  condition,  and  began  to  hunger 
and  to  thirst  after  a  better  righteousness.  He 
at  last  fell  into  a  mortal  sickness,  and  called  to 
God  and  his  Son  for  grace  and  pardon ;  and 
when  I  visited  him  in  his  sickness,  and  inquired 
of  him  whether  he  had  nearly  gotten  the  new 
garments  of  salvation  ready,  or  whether  he 
intended  to  appear  before  the  most  Holy  God 
with  his  filthy  garment  ?  He  answered,  That 
now  he  knew  of  nothing  more  than  the  blood 
of  Christ  and  his  righteousness,  that  this  should 
be  his  dress  and  robe  of  honor,  wherewith  he 
would  stand  before  God  and  enter  into  heaven. 
With  those  standing  by  I  prayed  to  God,  pre- 
sented his  case  in  simplicity,  and  commended 
him  to  the  mercy  of  his  Redeemer.  He  said 
that  the  hymn  which  we  sung  last  in  the  meet- 
ing, was  always  present  to  his  mind  during  his 
illness,  viz. :  "  Wherefore  then  should  I  grieve," 
etc.  By  day  and  by  night,  even  when  suffer- 
ing the  severest  pain,  this  hymn  sounded  in  his 
heart.  He  thought  that  he  had  a  certain  assur- 
ance of  his  state  of  grace,  and  that  nothing 
more  could  separate  him  from  the  love  of  God 
in    Christ   Jesus.     He    desired    that  I    might 


304       REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

be  present  at  his  departure,  and  see  how  happy 
and  joyfully  he  would  leave  this  world.  "  For," 
said  he,  "  I  must  experience  that  which  is  con- 
tained in  my  hymn,  verse  seven  :  Intrepid  and 
without  a  fear,  must  a  Christian,  where'er  he  is, 
still  let  himself  appear,  etc.  Wherefore,  I  know 
that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  etc."  With  a  confi- 
dent heart  he  passed  away  a  few  days  after- 
wards. I  was  in  another  congregation  at  the 
time,  and  therefore  could  not  be  present  at  his 
death.  From  love  to  our  church  and  school, 
which  are  still  somewhat  in  debt,  he  bequeathed 
;£i2  of  our  money  in  his  last  testament. 

Two  aged  married  people  in  New  Hanover, 
who  held  to  the  congregation,  were,  according 
to  their  temperament,  wholly  melancholists, 
and  devoted  to  the  riches  of  this  world  and  the 
cares  of  business.  The  thing  had  become  such 
a  habit  with  them,  that  all  my  trouble  and 
labor  with  them  seemed  in  vain.  Withal,  they 
were  outwardly  honorable,  in  business  transac- 
tions sharp  and  accurate,  in  attendance  upon 
the  worship  of  God  untiring,  and  their  morning 
and  evening  prayer  without  intermission.  It 
seems  to  me  that  such  a  temperament  is  the 
most  fit  to  show  forth  the  semblance  of  godli- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  305 

ness,  and  to  deny  its  power.  If  you  mention 
the  points  whereat  the  heart  is  especially  sick, 
they  have  numberless  replies,  drawn  partly 
from  the  Word  of  God  and  partly  from  reason, 
and  in  conclusion  generally  appeal  to  God> 
who  trieth  the  heart  and  the  reins.  I,  and  the 
assistant,  Mr.  Kurtz,  have  several  times  spoken 
with  them  in  love  and  earnestness,  and  held  up 
the  most  necessary  truths  before  them.  They 
agreed  with  us  in  every  important  article  of 
faith,  and  in  respect  to  examination  and  appro- 
priation, they  had  already  experienced  much, 
and  promised,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  put  the 
rest  in  practice  also.  But  if  we  look  for  the 
signs  which  must  necessarily  follow  repentance 
and  faith  in  regeneration,  matters  now  and 
then  seem  very  deficient.  According  to  their 
confession,  they  did  not  wish  to  die  otherwise 
than  as  poor  penitents,  but  through  Christ 
pardoned  and  justified  sinners.  But  it  would 
be  more  comforting  to  us  if  we  had  perceived 
more  and  clearer  tokens  of  a  radical  change  of 
heart  and  repentance  in  them.  Still  I  am,  for 
my  part,  a  poor  creature,  and  deficient  in  judg- 
ment, and  therefore  often  err  on  one  side  or 
the  other.  I  find  that  in  judging  of  the  repent- 
U 


306  reports  from  Lutheran 

ance  of  others,  if  we  either  go  away  too  far 
beyond  the  common  signs,  which  God  the 
Judge  of  hearts  has  clearly  revealed  in  his 
word,  and  judge  others  too  strictly  according 
to  our  own  experience,  or  remain  too  far  there- 
from, and  determine  according  to  the  feelings 
or  more  general  signs,  than  God  has  given  in 
his  word,  we  sin  in  both  instances,  pronounce 
many  happy  who  before  God  maybe  unblessed, 
and  many  unblessed  who  before  God  may  be 
esteemed  as  happy.  In  funeral  discourses  we 
are  careful  and  do  not  like  to  say  more  con- 
cerning the  dead  than  that  which  we  consider 
useful  and  edifying  to  those  who  are  yet  living. 
Oh  !  Lord,  grant  unto  us  thy  spirit  of  wisdom, 
and  let  us  continually  learn  to  understand 
more  fully  what  this  means  :  Thou  hast  pleas- 
ure in  mercy  and  not  in  sacrifice !  Let  thy 
thoughts  become  more  and  more  our  thoughts, 
so  that  we  may  not  go  into  eternity  with  an 
erroneous  system  of  our  own  thoughts.  The 
man  died  and  bequeathed  a  beautiful  cloth  for 
the  altar ;  the  woman  died  also,  and  gave  £$ 
to  be  distributed  among  poor  people. 

An  old  man  who  lived  with  his  family  about 
twelve  English  miles  from  the  New  Hanover 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  2)°7 

church,  among  various  sects,  held  to  our  con- 
gregation, and  visited  our  meetings  diligently 
whenever  his  infirmity,  the  weather,  the  roads, 
and  the  water  permitted.  But  whenever  he 
could  not  be  present,  he  edified  himself  and 
his  family  at  home  with  Arndt's  True  Chris- 
tianity, Spener's  Doctrine  of  Faith,  and  especi- 
ally with  the  Holy  Bible.  In  the  intercourse 
I  had  with  him,  I  observed  in  his  life  and 
conversation  that  God's  word  and  the  holy 
sacraments  were  dear  to  him.  He  died  during 
the  rough  winter  season,  so  that  I  could  not 
well  be  with  him  and  wait  for  his  end.  His 
family  related  to  me  that  he  had  anticipated 
his  death,  perhaps  a  quarter  of  a  year  before, 
and  had  taken  leave  of  his  friends  when  he  was 
last  in  church.  He  had,  therefore,  especially 
latterly,  diligently  and  unceasingly  prayed  to 
his  reconciled  Father  in  Christ,  that  he  would  let 
him  depart  in  peace,  and  also  fell  asleep  amid 
prayers  and  sighs.  I  was  called  to  his  funeral, 
whereat  not  only  many  of  the  members  of  our 
scattered  congregation,  but  also  many  English 
and  German  people  of  other  religions  and  sects 
were  present,  who  all  testified  that  he  had  led 
a  Christian  and  exemplary  life  among  them. 


308        REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

A  man  of  thirty-one  years  lived  in  New  Han- 
over  who  held  to  the  congregation,  but  was 
otherwise  involved  in  extensive  worldly  busi- 
ness. He  had  the  superintendence  of  a  large 
tract  of  land,  which  belonged  to  certain  mer- 
chants in  Philadelphia,  and  which  was  leased 
to  poor  German  people  by  the  piece.  The 
man  was  of  pliant  but  volatile  mind,  and  was 
otherwise  benevolent  and  obliging  to  all  who 
gave  him  a  kind  word.  But  the  circumstances 
of  his  calling  were  such  that  nearly  in  every 
business  transaction  he  had  to  be  in  some  tavern, 
at  auctions,  or  before  the  authorities.  Now, 
when  it  is  remembered  how  inclined  nature  is 
when  left  to  itself,  to  be  ensnared  in  all  manner 
of  sin  by  such  opportunities,  we  can  readily 
form  an  estimate  of  the  Christianity  of  such  a 
man.  In  the  meanwhile,  he  neglected  no 
meeting  unnecessarily,  but  in  later  times  did 
not  come  to  the  holy  Supper  from  a  sense  of 
his  unworthiness,  as  he,  on  account  of  his 
office,  was  at  one  time  involved  in  a  lawsuit, 
and  at  another  fell  into  this  and  into  that  sin. 
As  many  sermons  and  funeral  discourses  as  he 
heard,  so  many  new  resolutions  he  made  to 
forsake  the  broad  for  the  narrow  way,  to  turn 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  3O9 

from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of 
Satan  to  God.  But  the  first  opportunity  drew 
the  poor  man  on  each  occasion  back  again  into 
his  old  sins.  I  now  and  then  specially  admon- 
ished him,  when  good  promises  on  his  part 
were  never  wanting.  After  some  time  he  came 
to  me  and  said  with  emotion  of  heart :  "  I  per- 
ceive that  everything  in  the  world  and  in  my 
heart  is  vanity.  I  have  hitherto  desired  to  be 
a  great  man,  and  in  all  things  do  as  others  do 
in  company ;  in  a  word,  I  walked  in  the  broad 
way,  which  leadeth  to  destruction.  I  will  dis- 
encumber myself  of  everything,  curtail  my 
affairs,  and  turn  to  my  gracious  God  in  Christ 
with  all  my  heart ;  although  my  associates  may 
also  scoff  at  me  on  this  account  and  call  me  a 
preacher's  fool."  I  answered  him :  This  is 
again  a  new  resolution,  and  it,  like  all  which 
have  gone  before,  if  begun  in  reliance  on  your 
own  strength,  and  not  with  prayer  and  earnest 
reliance  upon  the  co-operative  and  all-sufficient 
grace  and  power  of  God  and  his  Spirit,  will 
also  be  dissipated  by  the  first  wind  of  tempta- 
tion. If  he  would  become  a  true  disciple  of 
Jesus  and  a  child  of  salvation,  there  must  be  a 
radical  change  in  him — in  heart,  mind,  spirit, 


3IO  REPORTS   FROM    LUTHERAN 

thoughts  and  all  the  faculties.  If  this  takes 
place  by  the  grace  of  God,  it  will  have  an  in- 
fluence upon  his  outward  calling,  be  it  great  or 
small."  In  reference  to  his  employment  I 
readily  acknowledged  that  he  might  obtain 
some  alleviation  if  he  laid  it  aside,  abridged  it, 
and  followed  his  profession.  But  repentance 
itself  must  nevertheless  be  wrought,  in  its 
order,  by  the  Spirit  of  God  and  the  means  of 
grace,  although  confined  in  a  chamber  or  a 
desert.  It  seems  to  me  that  the  pretext  con- 
cerning extensiveness  of  business  is  only  a  sub- 
terfuge to  delay  the  things  so  needful.  For 
he  cannot  give  up  his  business  until  his  year  is 
up.  Now  if  he  would  defer  his  repentance  so 
long,  many  things,  yea  death  itself,  may  inter- 
vene. If  his  motion  is  good,  it  is  a  drawing 
of  the  Father  unto  the  Son.  Now,  although 
God  does  not  draw  with  absolute  power,  still 
there  is  in  this  attraction  so  much  and  suffi- 
cient force  that  he  is  enabled  to  come  from  the 
power  of  Satan  and  of  sin  unto  God,  and  from 
bondage  unto  perfect  liberty  in  Christ  if  he 
does  not  willfully  resist  and  let  the  Lord 
stretch  out  his  hand  to  him  in  vain.  It  is, 
therefore,    said  :    "  To-day  if  ye   zvill  hear  his 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  3II 

voice,"  etc.,  and  not  to-morrow,  or  next  year. 
I  advised  him  in  simplicity  that  he  should  enter 
into  his  chamber,  where  he  could  be  alone, 
and  complain  concerning  himself  before  him 
who  seeth  in  secret,  as  he  perceives  himself  to 
be  and  is  convinced  that  he  is.  That  he 
should  pray  to  God  in  the  name  of  Christ, 
that  he  should  still  convince  him  more  by  his 
spirit,  of  unbelief  and  of  all  the  abominations  of 
sins  arising  therefrom,  so  that  he  may  learn  to 
know  sin  as  sin  in  its  true  form.  God  is  faith- 
ful ;  he  will  show  him  how  he  is  lying  in  his 
blood,  and  that  there  is  no  soundness  in  him 
from  his  head  to  the  soles  of  his  feet.  He 
will  be  terrified  with  himself  and  attain  to  a 
salutary  sorrow,  which  worketh  a  repentance 
to  salvation  which  no  one  repenteth  of.  His 
sin-wounds  will  stink  and  fester  from  foolish- 
ness. There  will  arise  in  him  a  disgust  and 
hatred  of  all  sins,  and  a  longing  desire  to  be 
delivered  from  them.  The  drawing  of  the 
Father  will  still  increase,  and  draw  him  with 
his  whole  load  of  sin,  weary  and  heavy  laden, 
unto  Christ.  With  Christ  he  will  find  grace 
and  pardon,  deliverance  from  all  sin,  guilt,  and 
punishment.     He  will    receive  the  power  and 


312  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

privilege,  not  only  to  be  called  a  child  of  God, 
but  also  actually  to  be  such,  and  to  walk  con- 
sistently with  his  calling.  If  such  a  real 
change  take  place  in  him,  the  influence  of  it 
will  soon  be  perceived  in  his  outward  vocation. 
If  he  had  been  in  the  past  a  diligent  visitor 
of  taverns,  and  made  the  company  therein 
merry  with  jests  and  buffoonery,  he  will  in 
future  go  neither  more  nor  less  into  such 
houses  than  the  necessities  of  his  business 
require,  and  the  hatred  of  and  disgust  with  sin, 
but  especially  the  Holy  Spirit,  will  teach  him, 
by  his  word,  to  reprove  the  evil  at  the  proper 
time,  either  by  words  or  with  silence.  If  he 
had  been  a  taskmaster  before  over  the  poor 
people,  he  will  then  be  a  father,  assist  the  op- 
pressed and  secure  the  rights  of  widows  and 
orphans.  If  he  had  many  lawsuits  before,  he 
will  then  rather  suffer  wrong,  and  as  much  as 
possible  have  peace  with  all  men.  In  a  word, 
a  true  repentance  shows  its  fruits  in  all  actions 
and  omissions.  He  replied:  "Oh!  yes,  it 
would  indeed  be  a  blessed  thing  if  this  was 
effected  in  me !"  I  said,  where  there  is  no  be- 
ginning, there  also  is  no  middle  and  no  end. 
The  indolent  die  whilst  wishing.     If  he  accom- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  3I3 

modates  himself  to  order  of  repentance  and 
faith,  he  will  then  himself  discover  whether  he 
can  retain  his  extensive  business  without  detri- 
ment or  not.  When  the  mariner  perceives 
that  the  storm  will  sink  him,  he  casts  the 
heaviest  overboard  that  he  may  save  his  life, 
although  with  the  loss  of  some  possessions. 
Whether  this  word  of  exhortation  fell  upon 
good  or  stony  ground,  I  cannot  say  with  cer- 
tainty. In  a  short  time  after  the  man  was 
attacked  by  a  contagious  fever  (yellow).  I 
visited  him,  but  he  was  very  weak  and  was 
very  much  afraid  of  death,  and  desirous  that  I 
might  ask  of  God  for  him  a  gracious  respite 
unto  life,  that  if  he  again  recovered,  he  would 
be  more  faithful  and  give  himself  to  God  with 
his  whole  heart.  It  was  truly  a  sorrowful 
sight,  as  he  was  unprepared,  had  a  small  troop 
of  minor  children,  and  his  many  accounts  not 
in  order.  I  pitied  his  soul,  exhorted  him, 
therefore,  once  more  unto  repentance,  kneeled 
before  his  bed,  offered  up  a  penitential  prayer, 
and  asked  of  the  long-suffering  and  just  God 
whether  he  would  have  mercy  and  permit  the 
tree  to  stand  yet  this  year  also.  But  on  the 
day  following  he  became  speechless,  and  lay 
27 


314  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

dying  for  about  twenty-four  hours.  I  was 
called  from  my  house  during  the  night,  and 
had  to  ride  fifteen  English  miles  in  cold  and 
rough  weather  and  deep  roads,  so  that  on  ac- 
count of  it  I  nearly  fell  ill  myself.  When  I 
arrived  L  was  unable  to  speak  with  him,  as  his 
outward  senses  had  already  partly  failed.  I 
exhorted  all  present  to  join  me  in  prayer  and 
to  call  upon  the  Lord  for  grace.  I  prepared  his 
wife  with  the  word  of  God  willingly  to  accept 
of  widowhood,  and  saw  him  die  two  hours 
afterwards.  To-day  thou  livest ;  repent  to- 
day! Before  the  morrow  the  change  may 
come. 

An  aged  widow  in  Providence  was  related 
to  our  warden,  and  abode  with  him  for  a  time. 
The  woman  was  old  and  feeble,  and  had  noth- 
ing more  to  do  in  the  world  than  to  care  for  her 
soul.  The  warden,  who  leads  an  exemplary 
life  with  his  wife  and  children,  and  willingly 
profits  with  the  talent  entrusted  to  him,  dili- 
gently cared  for  the  poor  widow.  He  noticed 
that  she  still  retained  one  and  another  habitual 
sin  from  her  youth,' and  otherwise  seemed  gen- 
erally estranged  from  the  life  of  God.  She, 
however,  relied  much  on  the  prayers  which 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  315 

she  had  learnt  in  her  youth.  She  attended 
church  on  Sundays,  and  was  devotional  at 
morning  and  evening  prayers  during  the  week, 
so  that  she  was  not  easily  approached.  When 
at  length  she  was  on  one  occasion  alone  with 
the  warden's  children,  and  gave  an  offense  to 
the  innocent  lambs,  who  yet  stood  in  baptismal 
grace,  as  she  jested  with  a  penitential  hymn, 
the  innocent  children  complained  of  this  to 
their  father.  The  father  therefore  took  the 
opportunity,  in  earnestness  and  in  love,  to  dis- 
close to  the  widow  the  rotten  foundation  of 
her  heart,  and  to  exhort  her  to  true  repent- 
ance. His  and  his  wife's  admonitions  also 
did  not  remain  unblessed,  for  it  was  noticeable 
in  the  woman  that  she  gave  better  heed  to  the 
word  of  God,  and  became  more  earnest  and 
ardent  in  prayer.  She  was  entreated  to  turn 
to  God  with  her  whole  heart,  that  her  sins 
might  be  blotted  out  with  the  blood  of  Jesus, 
and  be  cast  into  the  depths  of  the  sea.  At 
length  she  lay  sick  with  the  dysentery  for  four- 
teen days,  and  still  had  time  and  opportunity 
to  commend  her  poor  soul  in  penitential  prayer 
to  him  who  had  purchased  her  with  his  blood. 
I  was  with  her  several  times  during  her  sick- 


316  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

ness,  and  exhorted  her  penitently  to  acknowl- 
edge all  her  sins — to  repent  of  them,  and  to 
seek  grace  and  salvation  in  the  free  and  open 
fountain  for  sin  and  uncleanness.  On  account 
of  age,  weakness,  and  illness,  she  was  unable 
to  converse  much,  but  gave  assurance  that  she 
would  obey  the  exhortations,  and  not  resist 
the  operations  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  That 
which  the  deceased  pastor,  Raupach,  of  Ham- 
burg, said,  occurred  to  me  here,  viz. :  that  it  is 
terrible  to  him,  when  people  lie  so  secure  and 
quiet  in  their  last  hours,  and  feel  no  terror  or 
anguish  of  conscience,  nor  yet  have  a  longing 
for  assurance  of  their  state  of  grace.  He 
feared  that  it  was  with  many  according  to  the 
saying  of  David  :  He  shall  go  to  the  generation 
of  his  fathers  ;  they  shall  never  see  light.  It  is 
certainly  more  consoling  and  more  safe,  if  we 
are  already  prepared  before  the  last  hour 
comes.  But  when  this  did  not  take  place,  and 
we  still  at  last  notice  some  weakness  of  the 
spirit,  it  is  more  comforting  than  when, 
we  perceive  nothing  of  either,  but  rather 
a  secure  dying  away.  At  the  departure  of 
some  persons,  it  is  almost  sorrowful  and  dan- 
gerous for  the  preacher — sorrowful  when  they 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  317 

did  not  experience  true  repentance  and  faith 
in  its  beginning  or  its  progression.  Death  is 
most  painful  for  nature,  and  to  avoid  which, 
nature  employs  all  other  possible  powers  of 
body  and  soul.  When  we  would  here  first 
recommend  repentance  and  faith,  it  is  apt  to 
happen  as  it  is  written  in  Exodus  vi.  9 :  Moses 
announced  unto  the  children  of  Israel  the 
strongest  and  most  comforting  promises,  which 
he  had  just  received  from  the  loving  lips  of 
the  Truth,  and  which  were  to  serve  them  for 
encouragement  and  strength.  But  they  heark- 
ened not  unto  Moses  for  anguish  of  spirit,  aud 
for  cruel  bondage.  It  is  dangerous  also,  be- 
cause unconverted  persons  desire  to  be  lulled 
into  the  eternal  death-sleep,  by  the  preachers, 
with  sweet  consolations  not  belonging  to  them. 
The  aged  widow  died  after  a  severe  illness  of 
two  weeks,  and  prayed  earnestly  until  she  ex- 
pired, after  having  lived  between  sixty  and 
seventy  years. 

A  reformed  woman  in  New  Hanover  neg- 
lected no  sermon  in  our  meetings,  and  had  her 
grown  daughter  instructed  and  confirmed  in 
our  congregation.  Her  son  had  been  awakened 
unto  that  which  is  good,  in  Germany,  and  in 
27* 


3 18        REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

this  country  joined  the  Zinzendorfer,  and  would 
also  very  willingly  have  drawn  his  sister  after 
him,  but  could  not.  The  woman  particularly 
loved  edifying  books  and  conversation  I  pro- 
vided her  with  a  Halle  hymn  book,  whence 
she  appropriated  several  beautiful  hymns  for 
her  edification.  In  later  times,  especially,  she 
became  very  quiet,  and  it  seemed  that  she  had 
attained  the  precious  endowment  of  woman- 
hood, viz. :  The  hidden  man  of  the  heart  incor- 
ruptible, with  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit.  Wher- 
ever she  went  or  stood,  she  was  wont  to  pray 
inwardly.  She  kept  herself  to  him  whom  she 
did  not  see,  as  though  she  saw  him.  When 
on  her  death-bed,  she  would  have  no  restora- 
tives from  the  physicians  of  the  body,  because 
she,  as  she  said,  livingly  experienced  the  con- 
soling promises  of  the  Bridegroom  of  her  soul, 
and  was  supported  therein  by  the  Comforter, 
the  Holy  Ghost,  so  that  she  scarcely  felt  any 
sickness  or  bodily  pain,  and  from  this  vale  of 
tears,  with  a  confident  heart,  she  entered  into 
the  joys  of  her  Lord.  In  the  last  hour  she 
remembered  me  in  her  prayer,  wished  me  a 
thousand-fold  blessing  and  a  good-night,  and 
also  to  have  me  told  in  the  words  of  the  six- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  319 

teenth  Psalm :  The  lines  are  fallen  unto  me  in 
pleasant  places  ;  yea,  I  have  a  goodly  heritage. 
On  these  words  I  also  preached  her  funeral 
sermon  with  pleasure. 

A  man  between  forty  and  fifty  years,  who, 
together  with  his  father  and  brother,  had  been 
for  a  time  with  the  well-known  Dippel  in  Ger- 
many, and  came  into  this  country,  fell  from 
one  sect  to  another,  and  when  at  length  he 
was  also  done  with  the  Gichtelians,  he  believed 
nothing  more,  lived  in  an  ungodly  manner,  and 
also  permitted  his  children  to  grow  up  like 
Indians.  At  length  he  came  from  up  the 
country  to  visit  his  brother.  I  was  in  his 
brother's  house  just  at  the  time,  instructing  a 
small  number  of  young  people,  who  were  being 
prepared  for  confirmation  and  the  holy  Supper- 
The  man  became  very  sick,  and  laid  himself  in 
bed  in  the  room  in  which  the  instruction  was 
given.  He  heard  our  teaching.  I  spoke  to 
him,  and  entreated  him  that  he  should  yet  seek 
grace  with  him  who  atoned  for  the  sins  of  the 
world,  and  consequently  for  his  sins  also,  made 
satisfaction  therefor,  received  the  publican  and 
the  sinner,  and  promised  to  cast  none  out  who 
came  to  him  ;  and  who  sought  the  hundreth 


320        REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

sheep  which  was  lost,  etc.  He  said  each  and 
every  time  it  was  too  late  for  him ;  if  he  recov- 
ered again,  he  would  seek  for  grace  and  amend 
his  life.  I  besought  and  admonished  him  that 
he  should  nevertheless  take  the  certain  instead 
of  the  uncertain,  and  not  to  think  that  it  was 
too  early  or  too  late.  But  he  stood  by  his  old 
speech,  and  would  have  nothing  further  to  do 
with  me.  I  inquired  whether  he  perhaps  could 
permit  it  that  I,  together  with  the  children, 
prayed  to  God  for  him  for  grace?  He 
answered  that  I  might  do  according  to  my 
pleasure  as  I  would.  I,  together  with  the  little 
company  of  young  people,  kneeled  around  his 
bed  several  times,  and  called  upon  the  Lord 
that  he  might  have  mercy  on  the  perplexed 
and  obdurate  sheep,  for  the  sake  of  Jesus 
Christ !  I  thought  I  must  obtain  it  by  begging 
with  barefaced  entreaty ;  but  he  would  not  take 
part  with  us,  and  God  would  not  draw  him 
with  absolute  force.  He  persisted  in  this,  that 
if  he  recovered  again,  there  should  be  a  change. 
He  died  a  few  days  afterwards,  when  I  was  in 
the  country. 

An  old  man  stricken  in  years,  who  according 
to   his  descent  was   called    a   Lutheran,   lived 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  32 1 

about  fourteen  English  miles  from  New  Han- 
over, on  a  tract  of  land  in  the  mountains.  A 
rich  Irishman  appropriated  it,  and  drove  the 
extremely  poor  man  away,  together  with  his 
family.  The  man  knew  not  how  to  accommo- 
date himself  to  the  misfortune.  He  had 
neither  heard  nor  read  the  word  of  God,  but 
willfully  walked  in  darkness  like  his  neighbors, 
and  fell  into  despair.  In  this  miserable  condi- 
tion it  occurred  to  him,  that  he  should  go  down 
to  the  New  Hanover  church,  and  there  hang 
himself;  thus  should  he  find  rest,  and  be  deliv- 
ered from  his  calamity.  He  followed  the 
thought,  hastened  down,  borrowed  a  rope  from 
a  neighbor,  and  hanged  himself  to  a  tree  oppo- 
site the  church.  The  neighbor  became  alarmed, 
and  after  a  little  while  went  out  of  his  house,  and 
saw  the  poor  man  already  hanging  to  the  tree;  but 
his  resolution  was  quickly  taken,  and  he  cut 
the  rope  in  haste.  The  man  fell  down,  and  lay 
for  a  time  as  dead,  but  at  length  revived  again. 
The  neighbor  invited  the  man,  and  almost 
forced  him  against  his  will,  to  go  with  him  to  the 
school  house  to  Mr.  Kurtz,  who  still  lived  there. 
Mr.  Kurtz  examined  him,  and  set  before  him 
the  terrible  endless   judgment  of  God.  which 


322  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

inevitably  follows  suicide.  The  man  had  re 
lated  the  circumstances  as  before  described,  and 
said  that  no  walk  ever  appeared  to  him  so  easy 
as  the  fourteen  miles.  Mr.  Kurtz  prayed  with 
him,  and  thanked  God,  that  he  had  once  more 
delivered  the  poor  sinner  from  the  rude  halter 
of  Satan.  After  he  had  well  considered,  the 
man  wept  bitterly,  and  promised  to  ask  for 
grace  and  forgiveness.  He  now  goes  to 
church  occasionally,  when  his  poverty,  the 
weather  and  the  roads  permit. 

Hereupon  I  will  in  simplicity  report,  what- 
ever remarkable  things  transpired  here  and 
there,  in  my  congregations  and  on  my  jour- 
neys. 

In  November,  1746,  I  was  solicited  to  take 
a  journey  to  Tulpehocken,  as  the  congregation 
there,  which  we  hitherto  occasionally  supplied, 
had  long  since  entreated  that  I  should  admin- 
ister the  holy  Supper  to  them.  It  is,  indeed, 
difficult  to  administer  the  holy  Supper  in  such 
congregations,  where  we  cannot  have  the 
members  in  cura  specially  special  care,  and  know 
the  condition  of  each  one  somewhat  more  par- 
ticularly. .  Still,  we  cannot  well  refuse.  We 
examine  the  people   strictly,  set  before  them 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  323 

both  the  law  and  the  gospel,  exhort  them  to 
repentance,  faith  and  godliness,  set  forth  the 
use  of  the  Holy  Sacrament,  as  Luther  says, 
and  seek  to  keep  the  conscience  unburdened 
as  much  as  God  gives  grace.  In  a  word,  we 
dig  around  and  manure  the  old  trees,  plant  and 
water,  and  ask  God  for  the  increase.  In  Tul- 
pehocken  I  had  confessional  examination  the 
day  previous,  and  explained  the  fast-day  text, 
according  to  which  the  members  present  were 
to  examine  themselves.  Afterwards  I  recorded 
those  who  intended  to  commune,  publicly  read 
off  their  names,  and  asked  the  wardens  and 
elders  that  on  their  conscience  they  should  say 
whether  they  knew  willful  and  deliberate  sin- 
ners among  those  read  off?  They  began  to 
weep,  and  said  the  matter  was  too  hard  for 
them  ;  they  had  enough  to  do  with  themselves, 
and  thus  each  one  should  examine  himself.  I 
was  satisfied  with  the  answer,  and  said  every 
one  should  then  the  more  closely  look  upon 
himself,  and  before  the  all-seeing  eye  of  God 
examine  himself.  I  had  understood  before- 
hand that  two  of  the  number  were  addicted  to 
the  vice  of  drunkenness,  and,  therefore,  took 
an  old  widow  to   account  publicly  and  asked 


324       REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

whether  she  was  still  involved  in  this  and  other 
herewith  associated  sins,  and  intended  to  con- 
tinue therein  ?  The  woman  was  speechless  ; 
but  those  related  to  her  said  that  she  had 
already  abstained  for  some  time,  and  by  the 
grace  of  God  formed  a  good  resolution  for 
amendment.  An  old  man  whom  I  had  myself 
seen  drunk  on  the  road  on  several  occasions, 
was  also  called  up  and  exhorted  to  repentance. 
He  replied  that  he  had  already  abandoned  ex- 
cessive drinking  for  half  a  year.  In  earnest- 
ness and  in  love  we  represented  to  him  that 
such  a  vice  was  a  manifest  fruit  and  token  of 
his  still  unconverted  heart,  and  how  he  might 
attain  to  grace  and  the  forgiveness  of  all  his 
sins  and  the  sonship  of  God.  But  he  became 
embittered,  and  said  that  now  he  would  not 
come  to  the  holy  Supper,  and  went  away  dis- 
pleased. The  rest  were  diligently  admon- 
ished that  they  should  certainly  not  think  that 
they  were  sufficiently  worthy  when  they  did 
not  live  in  gross  vice,  but  a  heart  truly  peni- 
tent and  hungering  after  grace  was  required 
thereto.  We  showed  them,  also,  how  to  attain 
to  it.  At  the  close  of  the  confessional  exami- 
nation   we    kneeled,    confessed    our    sins,  and 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  325 

asked  for  pardon  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  promised  to  follow  the  guidance  of  the 
good  Spirit,  and  heard  the  absolution.  On 
Sunday  I  preached  on  the  proper  use  and 
utility  of  the  holy  Supper,  administered  it  to 
two  hundred  communicants,  and  so  far  as  I 
could  observe  there  was  good  order  out- 
wardly, and  reverence  and  devotion  among 
the  people.     The  Lord  knoweth  the  heart! 

In  the  month  of  December  of  said  year, 
1746,  a  great  snow  fell,  and  the  winter  began 
with  such  violence,  that  I  could  scarcely  attend 
to  the  ordinary  duties  of  my  office.  The  snow 
was  as  deep  as  any  I  ever  saw  in  the  Hartz 
mountains,  in  Hanover,  where  the  winters  are 
generally  pretty  hard.  In  this  month,  prior  to 
the  snow,  we  sent  the  assistant,  Mr.  Kurtz,  to 
the  congregation  at  Raritan,  or  properly,  Read- 
ingstown,  that  he  should  preach  there,  and 
keep  school,  as  they  were  wholly  destitute  and 
forsaken.  I  had  therefore  to  do  without  his 
assistance  and  aid  in  my  extensive  congre- 
gations and  out-parishes.  For  the  school  I 
made  the  following  arrangement :  In  Provi- 
dence I  retained  our  dear  friend  Vigera  in  my 
house,  and  had  him  to  instruct  those  children 


326  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

who,  notwithstanding  the  hard  winter  and  deep 
roads,  were  able  to  come  hither.  With  schools 
in  the  country,  it  is  very  inconvenient  with  such 
bad  roads  and  rough  weather,  for  the  poor 
children  have  often  to  go  two,  three,  and  four 
English  miles.  The  parents  are,  for  the  most 
part,  poor,  and  often  are  unable  to  provide 
as  many  shoes  and  necessary  clothes  as  the 
children  tear.  We  should  at  least  have  an 
establishment  in  each  church — building  and 
people  also — that  the  children  might  be  lodged, 
boarded,  and  superintended.  But  we  as  yet 
see  no  possibility  of  this,  as  we  have  not  as 
yet  even  fully  paid  for  the  church  building.  As 
Mr.  Kurtz  is  away,  the  congregation  in  New 
Hanover  has  accepted  of  a  man  as  schoolmas- 
ter, who  kept  school  in  my  house  last  year. 
This  young  man  has  hitherto  given  room  to 
the  Spirit  of  God  to  work  in  his  soul,  and  gives 
the  congregation  a  good  example.  May  the 
Lord  preserve  his  soul  from  the  wiles  of  Satan. 
He  has  a  good  gift  for  singing,  and  a  fine  mem- 
ory. Now,  as  the  two  small  congregations  in 
Saccum  and  Upper  Milford,  have  hitherto  had 
our  service,  but  Mr.  Kurtz  being  absent,  I 
did  not  know  how  to  help  myself.     It  was  im- 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  327 

possible  for  me  to  attend  to  them,  as  I  am  be- 
coming feeble,  and  once  already  nearly  lost  my 
life  on  my  way  thither,  on  account  of  the  mo- 
rass holes,  which  are  yet  passable  by  day,  but 
are  very  dangerous  by  night.  I  resigned  the 
two  congregations,  but  they  wept  in  part,  as 
there  are  still  hungry  souls  among  them,  and 
said  that  if  we  forsake  them  in  their  poverty, 
the  Zinzendorfer  would  creep  in  among  them, 
and  pitch  their  tent  there,  as  they  are  only 
from  six  to  eight  miles  distant  from  Bethle- 
hem, i.  c,  those  of  the  Saccum  congregation. 
I  did  not,  therefore,  know  how  to  help  myself 
otherwise,  than  to  instruct  the  above-named 
man  somewhat,  and  have  him  commit  to  mem- 
ory one  of  Rambach's  catechetical  sermons 
and  repeat  it  in  the  congregations  about  every 
four  weeks,  and  in  case  of  necessity  permit 
him  to  baptize,  which  we  in  our  Evangelical 
church  also  permit  others  to  do,  although 
they  are  not  ordained.  Reading  can  scarcely 
be  made  practicable  here,  for  the  people 
are  unwilling  to  come  together  with  incon- 
venience, from  several  miles  around,  to  hear 
reading.  They  say  they  can  read  at  home. 
As     far    as     possibility,     strength     and     time 


328  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

remain  to  me,  I  also  visit  the  congrega- 
tions and  serve  them  with  the  holy  Sacra- 
ments. The  two  congregations  are  pleased 
with  the  said  schoolmaster,  because  he  has 
hitherto  walked  consistently  with  his  Christian 
calling,  is  edifying  in  his  intercourse,  cares  for 
the  children  and  diligently  catechises  them.  I 
would  have  had  to  forsake  these  poor  congre- 
gations altogether,  if  I  had  not  been  willing  to 
send  this  man  to  them.  As  schoolmaster  in 
New  Hanover,  he  could  not  have  had  his 
support  from  the  school-money  alone,  as  he  is 
without  a  trade,  and  school  is  only  kept  during 
the  winter  and  spring,  and  there  are  also 
various  poor  people  who  cannot  pay  school- 
money.  The  congregation  of  that  place, 
therefore,  aids  him  somewhat,  and  has  prom- 
ised him  £6  annually  from  the  alms  fund  ;  but 
thus  the  treasury  remains  unable  to  supply  the 
other  expenses  required  for  repairing  and  for 
the  preservation  of  the  church  and  school 
buildings.  Now,  if  the  two  above-mentioned 
congregations  can  also  give  him  a  little  for  his 
trouble,  he  will  be  the  better  enabled  to  sub- 
sist. If  the  gracious  God  would  only  aid  us 
so  far,  that  the  orphan  children  q(  poor  widows 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  329 

and  others  could  have  school  free,  it  would  be 
a  source  of  great  joy  to  me.  For  it  is  very 
hard,  when  the  congregations,  whose  members 
for  the  most  part  are  beginners  and  poor 
people,  must  give  all  out  of  their  means  of 
living.  Oh !  what  a  great  privilege  herein 
have  most  of  the  congregations  in  Germany ! 
God  be  thanked  forever,  we  preachers  are 
readily  satisfied  with  extreme  poverty,  and 
gladly  make  it  as  easy  for  the  congregations  as 
possible;  and  all  who  are  concerned  for  the 
truth,  have  hitherto  been  willing  to  give  the 
last  mite  out  of  their  livelihood  for  the  exten- 
sion of  churches  and  schools,  and  say  that 
they  can  never  be  sufficiently  thankful  for  that 
which  our  highly  venerable  fathers,  and  so 
many  worthy  patrons  in  Europe,  did  for  tlum 
and  for  their  children. 

//  A  letter  from  Pastor  Muhlenberg  to  the  court 
preacher,  Ziegenhagen,  in  London,  and  to 
Doctor  and  Prof.  Franke,  in  Halle,  October 
joth,  174.6. 

Highly  Venerable   Fathers:     The  Lord 
has  been  with  us  hitherto.     When  we  have  felt 
our   weakness   and   the   heavy  burden   of  oar 
28* 


330  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

office,  he  has  been  our  sufficient  strength  and 
power.  When  we  were  afflicted,  persecuted 
and  sick,  the  Lord  in  his  time  refreshed  and 
raised  us  up  again.  When  through  inexperi- 
ence we  did  either  too  much  or  too  little,  the 
good  Spirit  of  God  corrected  us.  In  a  word, 
Jehovah  has  hitherto  been  our  shepherd,  and, 
on  his  part,  we  have  wanted  for  nothing. 

In  relation  to  my  official  transactions,  I 
recognize  the  goodness  of  God,  and  his  long 
suffering,  and  the  riches  of  his  mercy  to  me. 
He  has  hitherto  so  preserved  my  strength  that 
I  have  as  yet  neglected  no  sermon ;  although 
once  in  winter  I  fell  from  my  horse  on  the  ice, 
and  in  the  autumn  had  the  misfortune  of  my 
horse  falling  on  me  in  visiting  a  sick  woman  in 
the  night,  yet  the  Lord  preserved  my  limbs, 
and  permitted  no  harm  to  befall  me. 

Our  assistant,  Mr.  Kurtz,  has  also  remained 
well,  and  was  enabled  to  attend  to  his  office  dil- 
igently. During  the  winter,  he  instructed  a  con- 
siderable number  of  children  in  the  school  in 
New  Hanover,  and  when  he  had  to  be  absent, 
Mr.  Vigera  had  the  oversight  of  the  school  in 
his  stead.  In  Providence  I  had  school  taught 
by  a  fine  young  man,  and  with  good  results. 


CONGREGATIONS    IN   AMERICA.  33  I 

When  I  and  Mr.  Kurtz  were  present  in  the 
congregations,  each  congregation  had  their 
regular  service  every  Sunday.  Mr.  Kurtz 
preached  on  the  five  principal  articles  of  the 
catechism,  and  afterwards  catechised  the  youth. 
I  generally  preached  half  or  three-fourths  of 
an  hour  on  the  Gospel,  and  during  the  remain- 
ing time  repeated  the  discourse  from  the  pulpit 
in  the  way  of  question  and  answer,  so  that  both 
old  and  young  might  the  better  comprehend 
and  reflect  on  the  matter. 

In  Providence  I  this  year  again  prepared  a 
fine  small  number  for  the  holy  Supper,  and 
confirmed  them  amid  many  tears  by  the  con- 
gregation present.  Among  the  confirmants 
there  were  also  married  people,  when  we  gen- 
erally perceive  a  deeper  impression  and  emotion 
in  the  congregation.  Lastly,  I  confirmed  an 
excellent  married  man;  and  his  wife,  who  is  a 
descendant  of  the  Anabaptists,  I  baptized  after 
sufficient  instruction,  together  with  their  two 
children.  In  New  Hanover  the  congregation 
is  stronger,  and  I  therefore  instructed  and  con- 
firmed a  larger  number  there,  among  whom 
were  five  adults,  children  of  a  Lutheran  father 
and  of  a  Reformed  mother,  who  lead  a  pious 


332  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

life,  and  also  admonish  their  children  thereto. 
Besides,  I  also  confirmed  several  married  and 
neglected  persons  at  that  place. 

When  aged  persons,  or  even  children,  die  in 
the  congregations,  the  people  desire  funeral 
sermons,  and  we  readily  accept  such  opportu- 
nities, because  we  can  discuss  important  and 
edifying  matters,  and  are  enabled  to  approach 
near  to  those  present,  in, the  application  ;  espe- 
cially as,  from  neighborly  love,  those  also  of 
other  religious  fellowship  and  opinions  follow 
to  the  grave. 

Formerly,  there  was  but  seldom  a  marriage 
where  they  did  not  make  a  dreadful  noise,  with 
drunkenness,  racing,  dancing,  leaping,  and  such 
like.  Now,  when  young  persons  in  our  con- 
gregation have  a  wedding,  they  wish  for  a 
bridal  sermon,  and  desire  us  also  to  accompany 
them  to  the  repast.  In  the  beginning,  we  re- 
peatedly admonished  the  congregations,  that 
they  should  lay  aside  ungodly  conduct  and 
worldly  lusts,  in  such  important  acts.  But  the 
customs  were  so  deeply  rooted,  that  they  some- 
imes  waited,  until  we  had  left,  and  then  prac- 
ticed their  wantonness,  but  with  a  difference. 
I  therefore,  publicly  announced,  that  we  would 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  333 

not  permit  such  persons  to  come  to  the  Lord's 
Supper,  who  commit  such  misdemeanors  and 
engage  in  such  pleasures ;  but  esteem  them  as 
corrupt  members,  until  they  turn  from  darkness 
unto  the  light,  and  walk  consistently  with  their 
calling.  The  children  whom  we  confirmed, 
have  for  the  most  part  as  yet  kept  themselves 
separate,  and  preserved  their  hearts  in  chastity, 
although  several  were  carried  away  by  such 
opportunities,  especially  when  the  parents 
themselves  did  not  maintain  good  discipline,  and 
gave  offence.  We  have  already  been  present 
at  several  marriages,  where  we,  during  meal 
time,  engaged  in  edifying  conversation,  and  in 
singing  spiritual  hymns,  especially  when  the 
parents  of  the  young  people  fear  God,  and  the 
wedding  guests  also  have  pleasure  in  that 
which  is  good.  We  indeed  know  well,  that 
true  repentance  and  faith  begin  within,  in  the 
heart,  and  must  manifest  themselves  outwardly 
by  their  fruits,  and  that  therefore  one  may 
still  not  be  a  Christian,  although  he  does  not 
dance,  or  swear,  and  outwardly  leads  an  hon- 
orable life ;  but  from  such  bad  fruits  we  know, 
that  the  tree  in  root  and  stem  is  still  good  for 
nothing.     Where    we    leave    such    vices    un- 


334  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

checked,  many  good  souls  will  be  offended, 
and  unstable  young  people  carried  away  by  the 
stream.  We  have  no  other  weapons  against 
this  than  prayer,  admonition,  and  separation 
from  the  holy  Supper,  and  we  experience 
thereby,  how  far  the  power  of  the  word  of  God 
manifests  itself.  Whatever  does  not  yield,  sep- 
arates itself.  I  was  invited  to  several  weddings, 
in  the  neighboring  congregations,  in  charge  of 
parson  Andrea,  where  many  of  our  young  con- 
firmed people  were  also  present.  Now,  as  the 
licentiousness  was  to  begin  after  my  absence, 
our  young  people  fled,  and  went  home. 

During  this  year,  I  twice  celebrated  the  holy 
Supper  with  the  old,  in  each  country  congrega- 
tion. In  the  congregation  in  Providence,  I  had 
on  each  occasion  something  over  one  hundred 
communicants  ;  but  in  New  Hanover,  over  two 
hundred  and  fifty.  We  celebrate  the  Lord's 
Supper  in  the  following  manner :  every  one 
who  would  receive  the  Sacrament  must  during 
the  week  previous  come  to  the  parsonage,  or 
into  the  school  house,  and  announce  himself  to 
the  preacher.  Now,  whatever  we  learn  from 
each  member  of  the  congregation,  by  this  in- 
tercourse, or  other  circumstances,  is    noticed ; 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  335 

and  as  we  have  opportunity  in  recording  the 
communicant,  to  converse  with  each  one  alone, 
we  speak  of  the  inward  motive  of  the  heart, 
inquire  after  the  growth,  and  give  the  necessary 
admonition,  encouragement  and  consolation, 
according  to  the  necessity  of  the  case.  By 
such  intercourse  with  them  we  obtain  a  knowl- 
edge of  their  internal  and  external  condition, 
and  perceive  the  connection  between  neighbors, 
parents,  children  and  friends. 

On  Saturday  before  the  communion,  all  who 
have  made  application  must  come  to  church 
for  confession  and  preparation.  For  the  pre- 
paratory service  we  choose  a  fast-day  text, 
suitable  to  the  circumstances  existing  at  the 
time.  In  the  application,  without  personalities, 
we  divide  the  word  according  to  the  solicitude 
and  the  circumstances  noted,  in  the  special 
conversation.  When  this  is  done,  all  the  mem- 
bers come  around  the  altar  in  crescent  form, 
and  if  there  are  some  among  the  number  who 
have  given  a  public  offence,  they  must  come 
forward  one  after  the  other.  The  preacher 
once  more  charges  them  publicly  with  the  sin, 
exhorts  them  to  true  penitence,  and  inquires 
after  repentance,  sorrow,  faith  and  amendment 


336  REPORTS  FROM  LUTHERAN 

of  life.  When  the  confession  is  made,  the 
preacher  asks  all  the  members  present,  whether 
they  are  willing  to  forgive  the  offence,  and 
help  to  pray  to  God  for  him,  through  Christ? 
In  every  instance,  the  members  almost  gener- 
ally testified  with  tears,  that  they  would  will- 
ingly forgive,  and  close  it  with  their  prayers. 
Thereupon  the  preacher  addresses  a  short  ad- 
monition to  all  the  members,  and  says,  that  no 
one  should  esteem  himself  better  than  this  sin- 
ner, for  each  one  had  to  look  upon  his  own 
heart,  and  to  notice,  that  there  lies  the  seed  of 
every  sin,  and  that  the  grace  in  Christ  alone 
improves  man,  and  frees  from  sin.  When 
everything  is  arranged,  all  kneel  before  God,  and 
the  preacher  kneeling  in  their  midst,  prays  the 
confession.  After  the  confession,  several  ques- 
tions are  asked  by  the  preacher,  and  thereupon 
he  announces  absolution  for  the  penitent,  and 
says,  that  for  the  impenitent  their  sins  are  re- 
tained, until  they  repent.  After  this  is  done,  it 
is  again  asked,  whether  any  one  still  has  aught 
in  his  heart  against  another  ?  Those  who  per- 
haps still  have  somewhat  against  another,  go 
into  the  parsonage,  are  reconciled  with  each 
other,  and  forgive  each  other  their  faults. 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  337 

On  Sunday  there  is  a  sermon  preached  on 
the  holy  Supper.  After  the  sermon,  the  con- 
secration and  the  distribution  takes  place.  As 
there  is  only  one  preacher,  and  the  administra- 
tion lasts  very  long,  we  sing  only  one  hymn  in 
the  beginning,  and  afterward  the  schoolmaster 
reads  the  history  of  the  sufferings  and  the 
death  of  our  Saviour,  in  the  four  Gospels,  that 
we  may  make  known  the  Lord's  death,  and 
consider  now  much  it  cost  him  to  redeem  us. 
Sometimes  we  also  read  the  prayers  of  the 
Supper,  from  the  deceased  Arndt's  Garden  of 
Paradise,  which  are  very  edifying.  The  day  is 
very  burdensome  for  one  preacher.  In  New 
Hanover  I  have  several  times  had  perhaps  over 
three  hundred  German  communicants,  and 
afterwards  a  small  number  of  English  Luther- 
ans ;  then  the  confirmants,  who  were  first  par- 
ticularly examined  and  confirmed,  and  further 
several  baptisms  and  marriages;  so  that  I  begin 
in  the  morning  at  8,  and  close  in  the  evening 
at  4  o'clock.  When  we  are  through  with  this, 
there  is  sometimes  a  sick  person  3,  4,  5,  or  6 
English  miles  distant,  whom  we  must  yet  visit. 

In  relation  to  our  country  congregations  gen- 
erally, we  may  say  :     "  They  are,  according  to 
29  W 


338  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

our  Saviour's  description,  as  a  field  containing 
wheat  and  tares,  or  like  a  net  with  fish,  in 
which  we  find  the  good  and  the  bad.  If  we 
pull  up  the  weeds  with  a  forward  zeal,  we  in- 
jure the  wheat.  If  we  permit  them  to  grow 
unhindered,  they  gain  the  ascendency,  and 
choke  the  good.  The  Lord  grant  us  wisdom, 
not  to  do  too  much,  nor  yet  too  little.  Old 
rooted  sins  of  habit  are  often  excited  anew,  even 
in  such  who  have  had  a  good  beginning  in  re- 
pentance, when  not  sufficiently  watchful.  I 
have  not  recorded  every  particular  awakening 
and  emotion.  But  when  I  perhaps  hear  good 
words  and  expressions  from  one  to  another,  I 
each  time  wish  and  pray  that  it  may  be  truth, 
and  an  honest  reality  before  God  in  Christ;  and 
when  I  hear  something  bad,  I  consider  the 
root  whence  it  springs,  and  labor  against  it. 
Physicians  of  the  body  are  called  ministri  na- 
turae, servants  of  nature,  and  spiritual  physi- 
cians should  be  ministri  gratiaey  servants  and 
helpers  of  grace,  and  help  forward  with  the 
word  and  means  of  grace.  The  Lord  make  us 
faithful! 

When  we  preach,  the  members  of  the  con- 
gregation do  not  easily  neglect  the  opportunity. 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  2)39 

They  come  from  afar.  They  fear  no  heat  in 
summer,  and  no  rough  roads  and  weather  in 
winter.  In  hearing  the  word  of  God  there  is 
a  difference.  Some  hear  with  tears,  others  re- 
flectingly.  Some  are  inattentive  and  fickle, 
others  ignorant  and  neglected  in  their  youth. 
We  endeavor  to  present  it  as  simply  and  ^com- 
prehensibly as  the  Lord  gives  us  grace.  To- 
day, the  word  still  falls  in  part  among  thorns 
by  the  way,  and  on  stony  land,  and  in  part  on 
good  ground.  Widows  and  orphans  acknowl- 
edge in  part,  that  the  word  of  God  and  his 
grace  in  Christ  is  their  only  comfort.  When 
we  visit  the  dying,  it  generally  appears  what 
kind  of  treasure  they  have  gathered.  I  have 
often  wondered  how  such  simple  souls  have 
profited  by  the  word  of  God  and  by  the  ser- 
mons. I  think  that  almost  every  one  should 
know  the  most  necessary  and  important  truths 
for  salvation.  Blessed  will  they  be  if  they  do 
and  practice  them.  As  far  as  I  have  observed 
during  my  four  years  stay  here,  it  is  a  matter 
of  gradation.  Those  who  do  not  obey  the 
truth,  become  harder  continually  and  more  ob- 
durate ;  and  those  who  give  place  to  the  opera- 
tions of  the  Spirit  through  his  word,  and  the 


340  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

means  of  grace,  become  ever  more  established 
and  better. 

All  those  members  among  us  who  highly 
esteem  the  grace  of  God  in  Christ,  cannot 
refrain  from  tears  when  they  consider  how  our 
dear  fathers  and  so  many  upright  souls  and 
so  many  children  of  God  in  Europe  exerted 
themselves,  and  from  their  poverty  sent  them 
preachers,  and  aided  in  building  churches  and 
schools.  For  this,  they  wish  them  many 
thousand-fold  blessings  and  rewards.  Such, 
also,  have  an  inward  love  for  their  preachers, 
and  manifest  it  by  benefactions,  which  I  esteem 
as  great  and  precious,  not  for  the  quantity,  but 
the  intention. 

When  we  look  at  our  poor  Lutherans,  we 
wonder  that  they  are  still  so  united,  and  yet, 
though  with  difficulty,  maintain  the  preacher 
from  the  mite  of  their  livelihood.  Most  of  the 
members  of  the  congregation  must  wearily 
support  themselves,  and  almost  work  harder 
than  in  Europe.  Now,  if  the  dear  fathers  and 
so  many  kind  children  of  God  in  Europe,  cared 
for  the  poor  forsaken  and  despised  members  of 
these  congregations  in  the  wilderness,  and 
aided   them   with   their  benefactions,   we   also 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  34 1 

surely  believe  that,  according  to  the  promise 
of  God,  not  a  drink  of  cold  water,  much  less  so 
many  loving  acts  of  kindness,  will  go  unre- 
warded. We  therefore  pray  publicly  and  par- 
ticularly for  our  benefactors,  that  God  may  be 
their  rich  reward.  When  there  were  sick  in 
the  congregation,  they  found  sympathy  with 
others,  and  I  observed  that  they  assist  each 
other.  In  a  word,  the  word  of  God  and  the 
means  of  grace  manifest  their  power  either  as 
a  savor  of  life  unto  life,  or  as  a  savor  of  death 
unto  death. 

After  he  who  had  hitherto  been  preacher  in 
Readingstown,  in  the  Province  of  Jersey,  re- 
signed his  office,  the  four  congregations  there 
were  without  a  preacher.  We  were  so  much 
concerned  for  them,  that  we  sent  them  our 
dear  brother  Kurtz  last  winter,  and  permitted 
him  to  keep  school  and  church.  In  the  begin- 
ning of  January  of  the  year  1746,  he  again 
returned,  when  we  saw  from  his  journal,  and 
heard  orally  from  several  members,  that  he  had 
not  labored  there  without  profit  and  a  blessing 
to  both  young  and  old. 

In  February  my  worthy  colleague,  Brunn- 
holtz,  and  myself,  were  called  to  Lancaster,  to 
29* 


342  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

try  whether  we  could  in  kindness  mediate  the 
violent  quarreling  in  that  congregation  with 
their  preacher,  Mr.  Nyberg,  and  his  adherents, 
as  it  had  become  a  hard  suit  in  law  before  the 
authorities.  We  did  not  rashly  enter  into  this 
sad  and  hard  dispute,  but  the  connection  of  our 
whole  religion  in  this  country,  and  especially 
of  our  congregations  and  of  our  calling,  neces- 
sarily required  that  we  should  give  our  back 
to  the  burden.  On  this  occasion  we  both 
visited  the  congregation  in  Tulpehocken,  which 
Mr.  Wagner  resigned,  and  left  for  us  to  take 
care  of. 

When  I  returned  to  my  congregations  again, 
which  Mr.  Kurtz  had  served  in  the  meanwhile, 
we  found  it  necessary  to  send  said  Mr.  Kurtz 
to  Readingstown  again,  to  the  vacant  congre- 
gations, for  three  months.  We  sent  instructions 
along  with  him  in  English,  in  case  the  authori- 
ties should  make  inquiry  therefor,  as  it  is  a 
royal  government,  and  not  quite  as  free  as 
Pennsylvania.  He  served  the  four  congrega- 
tions there  for  about  three  months,  and  again 
labored  not  without  a  olessing  to  both  the 
young  and  the  old.  The  congregation  there 
became   so  attached   to   Mr.  Kurtz,  that  they 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  343 

wrote  the  most  touching  letters,  and  entreated 
that  we  might  endeavor  to  arrange  matters  so 
with  our  most  worthy  superiors,  that  Mr. 
Kurtz  might  become  their  preacher.  We 
therefore  earnestly  desired  to  receive  some 
intelligence  from  our  fathers,  whether  we  might 
hope  that  two  preachers  would  soon  arrive,  as 
we  had  entreated  in  our  former  letters. 

Towards  the  close  of  April  I  was  again  neces- 
sitated to  visit  Tulpehocken,  and  to  travel  from 
thence  to  Lancaster  to  the  quarrelsome  con- 
gregation. This  was  done  with  the  consent  of 
my  colleague,  Mr.  Brunnholtz,  and  of  our  con- 
gregations. Circumstances  rendered  this  ne- 
cessary, although  I  foresaw  that  therefrom  I 
should  have  to  bear  great  reproach  and  dis- 
quiet. For  as  the  nearly  eighty  protesting 
Lutherans  were  acquitted  by  the  authorities, 
and  the  Moravian-minded,  with  their  preacher, 
Mr.  Nyberg,  had  entered  the  complaint  in  vain, 
the  Lutherans,  for  the  sake  of  the  right,  desired 
one  of  us  to  preach  a  sermon  in  the  church, 
which  had  heretofore  been  locked.  The  Mora- 
vian-minded, however,  were  opposed  to  it,  and 
intended  to  prevent  me  by  force,  whence  a 
tumult  might  easily  have  arisen.     One  party 


344  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

desired  me  to  enter,  and  the  other  to  prevent 
me.  Still  it  passed  quietly  and  without  dis- 
turbance, and  as  the  Moravian-minded  could 
do  nothing  further,  they  published  me  in  the 
German  papers  and  covered  me  with  abuse. 
But  it  was  fully  answered  by  the  other  side. 
After  this,  Mr.  Nyberg  and  his  party  let  the 
Lutherans  have  their  church  alone,  and  began 
to  build  a  new  one  of  their  own.  To  this  result 
of  the  matter,  much  was  hereby  contributed, 
that  a  response  of  the  highly  venerable  consis- 
tory had  arrived  from  Sweden,  against  Mr. 
Nyberg. 

I  was  called  to  a  large  congregation  (York), 
beyond  the  river  called  the  Susquehanna,  to 
the  utmost  part  of  Pennsylvania,  which  bor- 
ders on  Maryland.  This  congregation  had 
been  occasionally  visited  by  Mr.  Nyberg,  as 
long  as  he  was  regarded  as  a  genuine  Lutheran 
preacher.  The  congregation  consists  of  nearly 
one  hundred  and  ten  families.  Mr.  Nyberg 
promised  to  provide  them  with  a  preacher  from 
Sweden,  like  himself.  But  after  the  quarrel  at 
Lancaster  began,  they  would  have  nothing  more 
to  do  with  him.  I  had  a  small  number  of  chil- 
dren to  baptize  in  this  congregation,  and  also 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  345 

to  confirm  several,  whom  the  schoolmaster 
there  had  prepared.  From  this  place,  I  again 
traveled  back  forty-six  English  miles  to  Tulpe- 
hocken,  and  preached  there  once  more.  From 
Tulpehocken  I  again  went  fifty  miles  back  to 
Providence,  to  my  congregations. 

When  Mr.  Kurtz  returned  from  Readings- 
town,  and  was  in  our  congregations,  I  was  in- 
vited in  June  to  visit  Tulpehocken  again,  where 
I  prepared  and  confirmed  a  little  company  of 
young  people.  Two  married  persons  were 
examined  and  confirmed  in  English.  The 
parents  of  the  confirmants  in  part  related  to  me 
that  they  frequently  found  their  children  alone 
on  their  knees  praying,  during  their  prepara- 
tion. I  also  baptized  a  youth  of  eleven  years, 
who  had  not  attained  to  baptism  in  infancy. 

In  July  and  August  the  Lord  placed  us  in 
deep  affliction,  inasmuch  as  our  dear  and 
worthy  colleague,  Mr.  Brunnholtz,  was  taken 
with  the  dysentery  in  the  city.  He  was  surely 
nigh  unto  death.  This  was  not  only  for  me  the 
keenest  pain,  but  it  was  wonderful  to  see  how 
many  souls  in  the  congregation,  whom  we  ex- 
horted to  earnest  intercessions,  moaned  and 
uttered    lamentations.      The    wardens    of    his 


346  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

congregation  conducted  themselves  as  if  their 
father  was  sick.     They  brought  me  down  from 
the  country  at  midnight.    Several  good  friends 
tenderly  took  care  of  him,  and  called  the  best 
doctor  for  advice.     When   I   came  to   him   it 
was  just  the  time  appointed  by  God  when  his 
sickness    broke,   and    some    signs  of  recovery 
manifested  themselves.    The  Lord  granted  his 
blessing  also  on  the  medicine,  and  heard  the 
prayer  of  the  distressed.    When  I  observed  that 
so  much  misery  still  prevailed  in  the  congrega- 
tions, yet  when  the  Lord  threatened  to  remove 
the  shepherd,    a  universal  lamentation   arose. 
I  thereby  perceived  the  love  of  the  congrega- 
tion, and  concluded  that  there  is  still  a  hidden 
good  seed   in  them.    Hereby  that  which  the 
worthy  pastor  Maier  said  to  Mr.  Brunnholtz, 
often  occurred  to  me,  viz. :  the  Lord  would  not 
permit  him  to  perceive  more  nor  less  of  the 
blessing  than  he  thinks  needful,  either  for  his 
abasement  or  for  lifting  him  up.      The  Lord 
has    given  us  the  dear  colleague  anew.       He 
would  willingly  have  died,  yet  for  the  sake  of 
the    present   necessity  and    circumstances,   he 
himself  entreated  the  Lord,  that  he  might  yet 
live  for  a  few  years.     When  we  thanked  God 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  347 

for  his  recovery  in  the  congregations,  there  was 
in  pious  souls  a  universal  joy. 

When  we  are  regularly  in  the  congregations 
in  the  country,  there  is  so  much  to  do  that  we 
can  scarcely  be  at  home  a  day,  and  attend  to 
the  correspondence  with  the  utmost  difficulty. 
Several  families  who  belong  to  the  cona-re^ation 
in  Providence,  live  from  five,  six,  to  eieht  Ene- 
lish  miles  from  the  church,  and  in  addition  to 
this,  on  the  other  side  of  a  river  called  the 
Schuylkill,  to  pass  over  which  is  very  labor- 
ious. Aged,  sick  or  infirm  persons,  cannot  easily 
ride  through  the  stream  or  cross  with  a  canoe, 
therefore  they  wish  us  occasionally  to  visit  them, 
have  divine  service  with  them,  and  perform  the 
sacramental  acts.  On  the  other  side  of  the 
church  there  are  two  streams,  Skippack  and 
Perkiomen.  Between  and  beyond  these,  mem- 
bers of  the  congregation  also  live  three,  five 
and  eight  English  miles  distant,  who  have  a 
similar  desire. 

Several  members  belong  to  the  New  Han- 
over congregation,  who  live  from  five  to  seven 
miles  between  rocky  mountains.  These 
slso  require  a  visit  and  a  sermon  now  and 
then,  as  they  cannot  always  come  to  the  prin- 


34^  REPORTS    FROM    LUTHERAN 

cipal  church.  In  this  manner  we  have,  be- 
sides two  principal  churches,  three  out-parishes 
which  at  times  are  sufficiently  laborious. 
Moreover,  there  is  a  congregation  twenty-five 
miles  from  Providence,  in  the  mountains  called 
Saccum,  only  seven  miles  from  Bethlehem, 
where  the  Moravian  brethren  have  their  chief 
seat.  This  congregation  in  Saccum  did  not 
cease  entreating  us,  that  we  should  have  divine 
service  with  them  every  four  weeks,  on  a  week- 
day, and  perform  the  ministerial  acts.  We 
have  now  served  them  for  one  year,  although 
it  is  a  laborious  road  to  that  place.  We  pity 
the  people,  as  they  are  mostly  poor,  live  so  se- 
cluded there,  and  are  like  as  if  forsaken.  On 
the  side  of  Saccum  there  is  a  middle-sized  con- 
gregation at  Upper  Milford,  which  is  also 
served  on  the  occasion,  about  the  fourth  week. 
Now  it  might  be  said,  so  many  congrega- 
tions and  out  parishes  should  surely  abun- 
dantly support  their  preacher.  But  it  is  never- 
theless difficult — (i)  There  is  not  the  least 
charitable  foundation  in  any  church.  (2)  The 
congregations  are  still  new,  and  for  the  most 
part  in  debt,  on  account  of  the  necessary 
church  and  school  buildings.     (3)  Most  of  the 


CONGREGATIONS    IN    AMERICA.  349 

people  are  poor,  are  in  debt  for  theit  land,  or 
live  scantily  between  rocks  and  cliffs,  so  that  they 
raise  their  daily  bread  with  great  difficulty. 
(4)  For  seven  years  past  the  times  have  become 
distressing  and  destitute  of  nourishment,  be- 
yond description ;  for  as  long  as  the  war  with 
Spain  and  France  continued,  exports  were 
stopped,  and  the  people  were  unable  to  obtain 
suitable  pay  for  their  produce,  and  on  the  con- 
trary they  had  to  pay  high  for  all  necessary 
wares.  Therefore,  money  is  very  scarce 
among  the  country  people,  and  yet  we  preach- 
ers have  to  spend  considerable  on  our  horses 
and  clothes,  which  are  spoiled  very  much  by 
traveling.  The  dear  people  willingly  give  pro- 
duce and  provisions,  but  money  is  too  scarce, 
etc. 

Henry  Melchior  Muhlenberg. 

Provide?icey  Oct.  jo,  174.5. 
30 


INDEX. 


Acrelius,  Rev.  Israel 241 

Andrea,  Rev 334 

Arndt's  Garden  of  Paradise   337 

Attendance  upon  public  worship 339 

Bager,  Rev.  George 8 

Bermudian 212 

Berner,  Rev.  John  Frederick 161 

Boltzius,  Rev.  John  Martin 27,  30 

Bordier,  Rev 170,  178 

Brunnholtz,  Rev.  Peter 6 

sent  to  Pennsylvania 59 

assists  Dr.  Muhlenberg 64,  89 

letter  from 77,  82,  102,  115,  124,  153,  223 

receives  Rev.  Handschuch 194 

needs  help 219 

harmonious  co-operation 230 

appointed  clerical  superintendent 231 

success ...    280 

goes  to  Lancaster 341 

is  taken  ill 345 

Buscowen,  Admiral 175 

Chester 114 

Cohansey 84,  114,  230 

Collegio  Friedericiano 225 

(35o) 


INDEX.  35I 

PAGE. 

Conewago 204,  207,  228 

Conversions,  instances  of. 270-323 

Dippel 48,318 

Don  Pietro  = 193 

Earlstown 130,  148,  199,  207 

Ebenezer  (Georgia) 267 

Ernst,  Rev.  Frederick 8 

Exeter 196 

Financial  stringency 349 

Francke,   Dr.  and  Prof. ....24,   27,   66,  95,   126,  148,  156, 
220,  246,  329. 

Freymann,  Mr 178 

Freylinghausen,  Rev.  D 9 

Friderici,  Rev.  John , 8 


Funeral  sermons. 


332 


Garden  of  Paradise,  Arndt's 337 

German  Society  for  the  relief  of  emigrants 12 

Germans,  spiritual  destitution  of  in  America l9~^S 

Germantown,  Evangelical   Lutheran  church  of.  10,  J^,  no, 

J53>  195.  236 

Gichtelians ^iS 

Goering,  Rev.  Jacob 8 

Goschenhoppen 230 

Gratitude  for  European  help . 340 

Gronau,  Rev.  Israel  Christian 30 

Handschuch,  Rev.  John  Frederick 6 

sent  to  Pennsylvania 126 

letter  from 131 

labors  in  Lancaster 157 


352  INDEX. 


PAGE. 


receives  foreign  donations 161 

diary  of. 164-216 

needs  help 219 

harmonious  co-operation 230 

work  blessed 237 

Hartwick,  Rev.  John  Christopher 148,  213 

Heintzelmann,  Rev.  John  Dietrich  Matthias 6,  224 

Helmuth,  Rev.  Justus  Henry  Christian 6,  8,  12 

Henlopen,  Cape 192 

Hessen-Darmstadt,  Landgrave  of. 161 

Hochreutiner,  Rev.  (Reformed) 157 

Indianfield ....    230 

Jung,  Rev.  J.  G 8 

Kinsale  (Ireland) 182 

Kinsman,  Mr 177 

Kraft,  Rev.  Valentine 39,  205 

Krug,  Rev.  John  Andrew 6,  8 

Kunze,  Rev.  John  Christopher 6,  8,  11,  12 

Kurtz,  Rev.  John  Nicholas 8 

starts  for  Pennsylvania 60,  64 

labors  in  New  Jersey 1 18,  341 

labors  in  Tulpehocken 146,  149,  238 

labors  in  New  Hanover 330,  331 

ordination I47»  212 

harmonious  co-operation 230 

Kurtz,  Rev.  William 8 

Kurtz,  Rev.  D 8 

Lancaster,  Evangelical  Lutheran  church  of, 


index.  353 

PAGE. 

sends  help  to  Philadelphia 57 

receives  Rev.  Handschuch  as  pastor 130, 

196,  341 

Lehman,  Rev.  D 8 

Lord's  Supper  carefully  administered 253,  334 

Macungie 230 

Maier,  Rev.,  of  Halle 25,  346 

Majorin,  Counselor  of  Bremen 160 

Maquaischen  river,  in  New  York 118 

Marienborn 243 

Marriage  customs 332 

Matetsche 104 

Melsheimer,  Rev.  F.  V 8 

Mignan,  Mr 179 

Ministerium,  Evangelical  Lutheran 8 

Moller,  Rev.  H 8 

Muhlenberg,  Rev.  Henry  Melchior, 

arrives  in  Philadelphia 6,  34 

Senior  of  Ev.  Luth.  Ministerium 8 

made  Doctor  of  Divinity 12 

chosen  for  the  work  in  Pennsylvania 26 

visits  Georgia 27 

voyage  described 35 

pastor   of    Philadelphia,    New    Hanover, 

Providence,  and  Germantown 63 

trials  endured "J  I 

locates  in  Providence  and  New  Hanover.  89 

invited  to  extend  his  pastorate 117 

describes  the  divisions  and  dissensions  in 

Lancaster 134 

Narrative  concerning  Rev.  Mr.  Nyberg.  .  135 
X 


354  INDEX. 

PAGE. 

fraternal  allusion  by  Rev.  Brunnholtz. .  . .    158 

receives  Rev.  Handschuch 194 

harmonious  co-operation , 230 

defended  against  Count  Zinzendorf .  .  243- 
preaches  in  Mennonite  meeting-house..  . .    287 

narrates  special  conversions 270-322 

visits  Tulpehocken 322 

views  of  lay  baptism 327 

receives  abuse 344 

abounds  in  labor 347 

Muhlenberg,  Rev.  M.  Henry    8 

Midler,  John  Jacob 243 

Naessman,  Rev.  ( Swede } 214 

New  Hanover,  Evangelical  Lutheran  church  of .  . .  .    20,  63, 

153,  274,  33L  337 

Nitschmann,  Bishop 245 

Nordkiel,  Evangelical  Lutheran  church  of 148 

Nyberg,  Rev.  M 131,  135,  137,  210,  242,  254,  342 

Oley 84,  114 

.  William 19 

isie 230 

Perlin,  Rev.  (Swede) 241 

Pfeiffer,  Dr.,  of  Leipsic 25 

Philadelphia,  Evangelical  Lutheran  church  of.  .    20,  63,  151 

destitution  of  , 22 

members  of,  paying  their  passage 109, 

235,  261 

bequests  received 160 

church  debt 236,  261 

Providence,  Evangelical  Lutheran  church  of 20,  63, 

107,  152 


index.  355 

PAGE. 

Pyrlaus,  Rev 249 

Raritan  (Readingstown),  N.  J 240,  265,  341 

Raupach,  Rev.  ( Hamburg) 316 

Reformed  (German) 249 

Roehe  (Captain ) 1  S3 

Roeller,  Rev.  Conrad 8 

Saccum,  Evangelical  Lutheran  church  of 148,  231, 

326,  34S 

Saltzburgers  in  Georgia 267 

Sandin,  Swedish  Provost 148,  157,  194,  200,  214,  241 

Saumares,  Capt 1 74 

Schaum,  Rev.  John  Helfrich '. 6 

starts  for  Pennsylvania 60.  64 

ordained .........    147 

assigned  to  York 150 

installed  at  York 203 

visits  Handschuch 212 

harmonious  co-operation 230 


labors  with  acceptance 


o1 


Schmidt,  Rev.  John  Frederick 6,  8 

Schrenck,  Mr.  (Catechist) 231 

Schroeter,  Rev S 

Schulze,  Rev.  Christian  Immanuel 6,  8 

Schulze,  Rev.  Frederick 221,  224 

Schwartzwalde 1 14,  196 

Skippack. 196 

Societate  de  Propaganda  Cognitione  Christi t,J 

Spangenberg,  Rev.  Mr 131,  136 

Strasburg  (township) 209 

Streit,  Rev.  Christian 8 


356  INDEX. 

PAGE. 

Tennent,  Rev.   (Presbyterian) 200 

Trauberg,  Rev.  (Swedish) 157 

Tulpehocken,  Evangelical  Lutheran  church  of . . . .    116,  149 

322,  342,  345 

Unander,  Rev.  (Swedish) 241 

University  of  Pennsylvania  founded 10 

Upper  Milford,  Evangelical  Lutheran  church  of.  .   148,  231, 

326,  348 

Verducam,  Mr 184 

Vigera,  Mr 93,  118,  195,  205,  212,  234,  288,  325,  330 

Voigt,  Rev.  Ludwig , 6,  8 

Von  Buskirk,  Rev.  Jacob , 8 

Wagner,  Rev 342 

Waterford  (Ireland) 182,  184 

Weinland,  Rev.  John  Frederick 9 

Weiser,  Mr.  Conrad 136,  195,  196 

Weissiger,  Mr.  Daniel,  appeal  of 21-24 

Weygand,  Rev.  John  Albert 239 

Wildbahn,  Rev.  Conrad  Frederick 8 

Wiirtemberg,  Consistory  of 153 

York,  Evangelical    Lutheran  church    of....    134,150,202, 

204,  238,  344 

• 

Ziegenhagen,  Rev.  Frederick   Michael 21,  63,65,95, 

148,  156,  220,  246,  329 

Zinzendorf,  Count 34,  136,  242 

calumnies  refuted 243-258 

Zwiefler,  Doctor 272 


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